Possible Spoilers Ahead (though if you've seen either the original "Love Affair" or "An Affair to Remember", the only spoiler is this entire movie). Okay, this movie was terrible. People don't fall in love by having incredibly inciteful conversations on a plane upon their first meeting. Even Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr started with just some minor flirtations without completely psychoanalyzing each other. (I'll make all my comparisons to "An Affair to Remember" since I haven't seen the original "Love Affair".) This movie just tries too hard. Characters, just like real people, can develop a deep relationship without saying deep things right off the bat. Warren Beaty and Annette Bening's chemistry was zilch, especially when compaired to Kerr and Grant, who's chemistry was some of the best I've ever seen on film. Even Katharine Hepburn, whom I adore, wasn't up to her usual standard. She didn't come across as sweet and as inviting as the grandmother of "An Affair to Remember", and I know for a fact that she doesn't play the piano (see "Song of Love" for further proof), while her predicessor at least made an effort. Nothing in the movie is as good as the original-I could rip apart every little moment if you want, but I do have something resembling a life. I realize that "Remember" was a remake itself, but I don't think I would have liked this movie even if I hadn't fallen in love with "Remember". These two characters don't ever seem to fall for anything more than the pseudo-deep conversation on the plane and physical attraction, whereas Kerr and Grant talk about their lives and interests. How many times throughout their film does one say "What were you saying?" when the other said nothing, and the first one then proceeds to say exactly what they were thinking? Quite a few, for those not fortunate enough to have seen it yet. That's a connection, not Beatty gazing drunkenly at Benning across the table. As for the music everyone raves about, "Remember" had a beautiful theme song, complete with vocals, that was weaved throughout the film. This theme song sounded so close that I kept trying to sing "Remember's" lyrics to it and always fell short. That was distracting, not beautiful. Watch "An Affair to Remember" instead, PLEASE.
Review of Love Affair
