Really did want to like 'Art of Falling in Love'. It has a cute title that isn't too corny. The concept was quite intriguing and wasn't a more of the same sort of one considering who made it, though one of those could go either way ones. My biggest reason though for watching was Kelly Bishop, absolutely loved her in 'Gilmore Girls' (my summer binge watch of it a few years ago was one of not many high points of a difficult year) and have liked her a lot ever since regardless of the state of the rest of the film etc she's in.
'Art of Falling in Love' is not a terrible film and has its good things that made it just about tolerable. One can definitely do with a lot worse, as well as a lot better. It just felt like a rather big missed opportunity and would have worked to a degree if the character writing wasn't so flawed, which turned out to a major problem and affected the premise badly. 'Art of Falling in Love' was not watched with any preconceived bias or intent to immediately rag on it, the potential was there. The execution was not.
There are things that did work. The acting is better than average, with committed performances from Kimberly-Sue Murray (despite her character being a significant reason as to why the film didn't work) and Josh Dean and a classy, zesty turn from Bishop as the character that interested me the most and frustrated the least. It does start off with a lot of promise, with a good deal of light hearted charm.
Furthermore, 'Art of Falling in Love' looks attractive enough with nice scenery. While the music isn't exceptional, it didn't come over as over constant, over loud or repetitive.
However, the promise shown in the first quarter or so sadly isn't maintained throughout the rest of the film. The thinner the story got, the draggier it got too and the tone shifts quite abruptly from light hearted charm to truly depressing gloominess and actually found it on the mean spirited side too. While Murray and Dean are committed individually, they don't ignite as a couple with the romance being underdeveloped and very bland.
It really doesn't help that 'Art of Falling in Love' is unbalanced badly by the excessive unlikeability of Murray's character, to the point of detesting her. Far too cold, self absorbed and selfish with no real signs of growth or learning from mistakes, to the extent that it is really hard to believe what Dean's character saw in her. Speaking of his character, he was a lot more likeable and had charm but the latter stages really overdid his naivety and neediness, was literally shouting grow a backbone. The dialogue is awkward and has too much corn and schmaltz, while the conflict is very overwritten and contrived. Was not satisfied by the ending, which was too pat and implausibly so (one of those ones that felt unearned).
Overall, tolerable but didn't come together. 5/10.
