Ticket for Love

On the Line is an okay movie that is somewhat entertaining and enjoyable to watch. Lance Bass and Joey Fatone (two of the guys from N'Sync) did a fairly well job for one of their first theatrical films. Also Emmanuelle Chrique did good in her role as Abbey. The movie did get a little boring at times, but it also had some humor and laughs. On the Line is an okay movie that is an enjoyable movie to watch. I give it a 6 out of 10.

The 2001's opus On The Line is clearly one of the gripping romantic comedies of our time. The cellioud itself is iconoclast, redefining itself and the genre as a whole. In film we have a man who is seperated from his would be lover via the manical train (representative of man's conflict with nature and his own increasing modernaization in the late capitalist model). In turn Fatone's character must search to reclaim his lost love, but just as they appear to be reunited larger symbollic structures will keep them apart. For instance a large glass pane, (a nod to Freuds Id, and dismantling of the mirror stage, for through this glass, Fatone sees not himself but his lover, an analysis of both the social construction of self, and the dialouge of co-dependency). Will they end up in passionate union? Rent it and get TURNED ON THE LINE A brilliant piece of Shaduenfrueden.

Promising set up, attractive (but not TOO attractive) leads, a solid supporting cast, excellent technical work. . . . all with a screenplay that is made out of just a bit too much fluff.

Fluff is good. Too much fluff is bad. Kevin lacks the "un nice" undertones to be believable-- even the best among us have some real flaws, not just a pseudo flaw of "choking" when dealing with the opposite sex. Kevin is 99% pure fluff, and the attempt to make the character into a creative person fails because a creative person is more multi dimensional than pretty boy Kevin. His friends are also painted in one or two dimensional strokes, and the Abbey role winds up painted so shallowly that it is difficult to conceive of why someone, even those as shallow as her fiancee and Kevin, would pursue her.

Their instant connection soul mate behavior simply does not have enough questioning, enough basis for existing. Even a child's balloon has more substance than what they created in their first meeting. There has to be more than a smile, a list of presidents, or a love for a baseball team to make a connection.

When it is finally revealed to him that he was betrayed, Kevin becomes violent toward a friend-- without really exhibiting anger, a perfunctory physical attack coming short of a playground fight. The entire movie was surface gloss and fluff, but with the promise of meat and potatoes.

I wanted to believe.

Wish I could have.

Kevin (Lance Bass) is a young advertising executive whose career is on the upswing. However, his personal life is more of a shambles as he is painfully shy around women. One day on a train in Chicago, he meets pretty Abbey (Emmanuelle Chriqui), who strikes his interest immediately. They both love Al Green, the Cubs, and history. However, Kevin clams up at the end of the conversation and fails to acquire her name and telephone number. He regrets his lack of fortitude soon after and decides to put up posters around the city in an effort to find her. The local newspaper, spotting one of the signs, even features an article on Kevin's plight. Yet, Abbey fails to appear. Will Kevin connect again with Abbey, even as he's fighting off the attentions of other women?

With NSync member Bass as the star of the show, one would expect a movie only tweens would appreciate. Not so. Bass and Chriqui are winsome and winning as they seek to find each other again. The scenes in and around Chicago are engaging. The supporting cast is a bit goofy and grating at times (especially Kevin's friends) but, overall, the presentation of the movie is upbeat and humorous. Fans of light-hearted romantic films would be savvy to seek out this little sleeper. A happy feeling will permeate the viewer's heart for a long time.

This is a great movie for all ages. It is funny, sweet and holds your attention from beginning to end. Besides just being lots of fun it is great seeing Lance and Joey having so much fun acting. I think parents will like this movie as much as kids. I have been lucky enough to see it and can't wait to go again and again and buy the sound track.