Martha da legare

I happened to flick across the beginning of this film last night on cable. I missed the title, but saw "Joesph Fiennes", "Rufus Sewell", and "Ray Winstone" - and decided it was worth a look.

Though the beginning was a tad slow (the first five minutes makes you think it's going to be very depressing), this is actually a sweet comedy about love and friendship and the nature of "love at first sight".

Joesph Fiennes is heart-stoppingly beautiful, with his lovely puppy-dog eyes put to good use in his character as an overly-sensitive young man wedged between two aggressive friends who are less-than-sensitive.

I dislike most "romance" films; yet this one was different, for a reason I can't quite put my finger on. It tugs at your heart, and for all it's improbable situations (de rigeur in most romantic comedy), it rings true to life.

Definitely a good film for watching on a rainy afternoon.

If you are looking for simplicity with little twists here and there - just enough to make it amusing but not too much to be thought-provoking -then this movie would be a good place to start.

It's definitely a low-budget film, you can really tell from the color quality. Clever, feel-good script - really aims to entertain instead of being profound, although it's probably a good idea to lay off the cheesy, over-used lines like "she's different from any woman I've ever met" and "do you believe that things happenned for a reason?".

Good line up of cast. Tom Hollander and Rufus Sewell really shines as Daniel and Frank, they play off each other beautifully and show a bit of versatility which is nice (both are well known dramatic actors).

Joseph Fiennes was okay - Laurence doesn't really provide much. He's the long suffering lovesick puppy type which Mr. Fiennes has obviously played quite a few times before. He somehow fits in less naturally here as if he's gone straight from a stage production and hasn't really got time to shake off the character. Very good vocal (still got the elizabethan twinge in it)and not much facial expression. I do enjoy the idiosyncracies like Laurence drawing something whenever he feels stuck in the middle. And how he's occasionally being called "Florence".

Monica Potter provides a very Julia Roberts style performance, which isn't saying much of her own quality as an actress.

I was watching this movie with a roomate the other day and she said "It's a movie that makes you want to fall in love" - I myself was just looking for a comedy and was getting it just fine from this movie. So for whatever reason, you'll enjoy it.

Martha (Monica Potter) is single, sexy and she's so sick of her life she's off to London with the last of her money.

Daniel (Tom Hollander) is single, successful and after one look at Martha he thinks he's in love. Frank (Rufus Sewell) is one of Daniel's friends, despite the fact he is always trying to get one up on him. Lawrence (Joseph Fiennes) is another of Daniel's friends, and he is always caught between Frank and Daniel as they jostle for supremacy.

The casing and script are both strong, and the feel of the movie is nice and original, even with the usual clichés in the romance element. It's funny, it's romantic and it has sex appeal for both men and ladies, so obviously its worth a watch; if you don't try it, you'll never know.

7/10

I seen this at the video store but passed it by because I thought it was the typical Sarah Michelle-Melissa Joan-Freddie Prinze-Katie Holmes type of romantic comedy. I didn't realize it was a British movie(otherwise I might have given it a second look at the video store) and caught it on cable. I was pleasantly surprised by the acting. I liked the fact that it didn't go the typical sex route, although I didn't think about that until the movie was over. I was pleasantly surprised that it was a British film, it seemed more in the Hollywood vein, not as dark and gritty as a lot of British cinema. The mood of the film was cheerful, upbeat and somewhat witty. I particularly liked the technique of going back in the story to fill in the gaps of the storyline. It reminded me of an old fashioned type of movie; and I have to admit the lead actress did remind me of a Julia Roberts type. Very entertaining.

I really didn't expect much when I saw this movie. I was in full knowledge of it being a self-proclaimed 'British/American romantic comedy with a twist', whatever that means, but I honestly took my seat at the theatre half-expecting to sleep the way through it.

Boy was I wrong!?!?

This is not a flawless movie, far from it. On the downside it felt a way bit simple and sometimes dangerously close to becoming a generic movie but it actually did a great job in walking the tightrope.

The pacing, it must be said, is brilliant as it does a great job of telling you full four stories and establishing multi-layered relationships between 3 best friends from Britain and a young woman from America with such ease that you feel like you've known them forever. The acting is spot on, although credit must be given to Rufus Sewell who owns this movie as the unfortunate Frank, whose "like me! like me!" plea warms my heart every time I see it!

The music is great, the lighting is terrific and somehow, over a period of 30 minutes, this movie manages to create and establish a scenario so perfect that every man and woman will emerge from the cinema wishing they were there. Of course, not all is gold that glitters and as such the scenario more or less crumbles throughout the story but the main theme in the movie is this; it's there and if you keep your eyes open it just might happen to you.

Of course, 'happen to you' is the easy part. What's hard is trying to make it work all the way, i.e. not just catching the ball but actually carrying it all the way into the end-zone. Which is where the story gets interesting.

I advise anyone who doesn't have any prejudice against romantic comedies to go see this one, as it will surprise you. No, it's not the movie to end all movies, nor is it a piece that will change your outlook on life, but for 90 minutes it will make you forget about all your worries and just enjoy yourself: laugh, smile, hold hands, wish you were holding hands, feel loved or love someone or both, and eventually walk out into the real world feeling like you've experienced a piece of bliss that has made your day a good one.

Give it a try, it's not big but it might bite you.

4/5.