Love (et ses petits désastres)

"Love and Other Disasters" is just as the title says. It's about love and love-like disasters mistaken as love. It's not your typical romantic comedy because it's better than that. There's quite a few lines that are making fun of the genre but paying a sort of homage to it as well.

The late Brittany Murphy stars as Emily Jackson, 'Jacks', who takes her cues in life and style from Holly Golightly. The filmmakers as well have taken their inspiration for the look, feel and tone from "Breakfast at Tiffany's".

The best character in the film is Peter played by Matthew Rhys. In romantic-comedy-speak, he's the gay best friend, but again, he's better than that. He's very funny and in a much more realistic way than the other characters are, and his musings on love probably mirror those of the audience more than the other characters.

The film is very fast-paced, with witty dialogue, and a light-hearted manner. I recommend "Love and Other Disasters" for: fans of "Breakfast at Tiffany's"; fans of the dialogue of "Gilmore Girls"; fans of Matthew Rhys; and definitely aspiring-screenwriters - the filmmakers have made a number of inferences to the craft of screen writing that I think it becomes a must see.

I saw this film at the Toronto International Film Festival over the weekend. I picked the movie and my fiancé gave me some grief over it while we waited to go in, but he ended up loving it!! Brittany Murphy is very entertaining, and the entire cast is enthralling. This is a very cute and funny movie. It pokes fun at itself and the one-liners just keep coming. The cameo appearances by Orlando Bloom and Gwyneth Paltro are brief, so don't go just for the glimpse of a favorite actor/actress, but they do add the the appeal of the film. The entire theater was laughing throughout the movie. I rank this movie up with Love, Actually and Four Weddings and a Funeral.

I didn't laugh at all till at least half an hour in. I was expecting a full blown comedy. This is not it. At least not in the sense of a comedy which make you laugh and laugh and laugh. In total I laughed perhaps about 6-7 times. Not talking about full blown laughter either. So, if you want to laugh a lot, I wouldn't recommend this.

Having said that, this is a good movie. It is well produced, acted etc. The characters are like able and even the "villain" of the movie isn't a bad guy after all. It's a charming movie which just makes you want to keep watching. At least that's what happened with me. I wasn't laughing but I couldn't stop watching.

Mind you, it is a clever film. There is some very clever writing in there.

Do I recommend this movie? Absolutely. The main reason is what I mentioned earlier, this is so charming you just can't stop but liking it.

I totally get if someone thinks this is the best romantic comedy ever .. but also if someone does not like this at all. It is making fun of itself and the cliches it uses ... the way it is cut (with characters commenting on Notting Hill ... but also on what is happening in the movie they are in ...as a byproduct).

That is either clever (overall that is what I'd call it) or can feel obnoxious and/or annoying. Totally up to you. But what you can't deny, is how well the actors in this take care of even little bumps along the road. Brittany Murphy was taken away way too early from us ... but at least she left us with many movies to love her in, like this one.

And she is needed considering the amount of disbelief you have to have ... so many moments that could have gone entirely wrong ... and still may feel that way to some. But she and her costars make them work ... how can you hate them, when they are so lovely, while entirely clueless? Just sit back, relax and enjoy.

Hers' was a very strange death.. and then her boyfriend goes and dies of almost the exact same causes a year later in the same house.. seriously very strange. Anyway, this film makes her loss that much more poignant, for this production is pure Brittany Murphy at her charming best, and it could very well be the best movie she's made. And Matthew Rhys matches her stride for stride... the two of them making this one of the most enjoyable rom-com's of the year. Sure it's the totally predictable formula, but it's fairly well written, and the overall cast is solid. You can watch a good number more films of any genre, and this will most likely be among the top for ease of enjoyment.