As a Topher Grace fan I found the movie enjoyable. Though he shows off his usual dry wit and excellent delivery, he is given a chance to really make his character come alive (unfortunately, some of these best scenes were deleted from the movie, i.e. the restaurant scene).
However, those people who may not be fans of the actors or simply looking for a good romantic movie should really look elsewhere. The message of this movie is one of the worst I have every seen. At every point the main character (Louise) is made to see that her life sucks because it is her fault. Apparently it is her fault her husband cheated on her hundreds of times (and her fault she didn't notice this). Apparently people are not responsible for their own actions, only other people's.
It is also Louise's fault that her brother is a drug addict. He never apologized for the impact his addiction had on her life, and the movie makes it clear that he shouldn't have to.
It is also her fault that her mother is emotionally distant, the movie portrays her as uncaring and unloving. A discussion with her brother reveals that it is Louise's fault for not gaining her mother's love, maybe if she was a f****'ed up addict like her brother, it would be different.
It is also Louise's fault that her best friend KNOWS that Topher is not her dead boyfriend, and KNOWS that they have a relationship (F. Scott and Main character), yet tries to have sex with him twice. Her friend is married with two kids, a rich husband, yet she has the gall to tell Louise that Louise should be thankful for what she has. What a hypocrite.
Every character is this moving, with the exception of Louise and F. Scott, are self-centered, loveless, blameless, hypocrites. The best part is, that the movie totally validates their behavior and shows that for Louise to have a good life, she must just suck it up. Even F. Scott begins to act this way. He never apologizes for saying that he sleep with Louise's best friend, though he said it to hurt her. In the end, she has to suck it up, yet again, and apologize to him.
Not only that but there was definite abuse of power issues. F. Scott believes she controls whether he gets in. Of course he will have to play up to her. She doesn't reveal the truth until the very end of the movie, (or deleted scene).
Lastly, the really, really terrible thing in this movie, is that Louise's ex-husband has slept with hundreds of women during their marriage, her brother knew, yet he justifies not telling Louise by saying he was keeping his word to her husband. I don't give a flying f*** if the pope asks you to keep a secret, in this day and age of AIDs and other STDs, you don't keep a secret like that from your sister. Not if you love her. Louise is at extremely high risk for STDs, but her catching a life altering disease is less important to her brother than keeping his word.
To conclude, if you like f***'ed up people, screwing over a reclusive, depressed lady, this movie is for you! It really should have been named "How Louise Becomes An Emotional Doormat". After seeing this movie, I was no longer surprised I had never heard of it until it came to DVD.
However, those people who may not be fans of the actors or simply looking for a good romantic movie should really look elsewhere. The message of this movie is one of the worst I have every seen. At every point the main character (Louise) is made to see that her life sucks because it is her fault. Apparently it is her fault her husband cheated on her hundreds of times (and her fault she didn't notice this). Apparently people are not responsible for their own actions, only other people's.
It is also Louise's fault that her brother is a drug addict. He never apologized for the impact his addiction had on her life, and the movie makes it clear that he shouldn't have to.
It is also her fault that her mother is emotionally distant, the movie portrays her as uncaring and unloving. A discussion with her brother reveals that it is Louise's fault for not gaining her mother's love, maybe if she was a f****'ed up addict like her brother, it would be different.
It is also Louise's fault that her best friend KNOWS that Topher is not her dead boyfriend, and KNOWS that they have a relationship (F. Scott and Main character), yet tries to have sex with him twice. Her friend is married with two kids, a rich husband, yet she has the gall to tell Louise that Louise should be thankful for what she has. What a hypocrite.
Every character is this moving, with the exception of Louise and F. Scott, are self-centered, loveless, blameless, hypocrites. The best part is, that the movie totally validates their behavior and shows that for Louise to have a good life, she must just suck it up. Even F. Scott begins to act this way. He never apologizes for saying that he sleep with Louise's best friend, though he said it to hurt her. In the end, she has to suck it up, yet again, and apologize to him.
Not only that but there was definite abuse of power issues. F. Scott believes she controls whether he gets in. Of course he will have to play up to her. She doesn't reveal the truth until the very end of the movie, (or deleted scene).
Lastly, the really, really terrible thing in this movie, is that Louise's ex-husband has slept with hundreds of women during their marriage, her brother knew, yet he justifies not telling Louise by saying he was keeping his word to her husband. I don't give a flying f*** if the pope asks you to keep a secret, in this day and age of AIDs and other STDs, you don't keep a secret like that from your sister. Not if you love her. Louise is at extremely high risk for STDs, but her catching a life altering disease is less important to her brother than keeping his word.
To conclude, if you like f***'ed up people, screwing over a reclusive, depressed lady, this movie is for you! It really should have been named "How Louise Becomes An Emotional Doormat". After seeing this movie, I was no longer surprised I had never heard of it until it came to DVD.