Cowboys and Angels

This isn't an awful film, it's just very, very weak. It deserves its obscurity.

Radha Mitchell's character, JoJo, is a total Manic Pixie Dream Girl. She loves to crash weddings and attends one every week! How whimsical and charming! Like most Manic Pixies, JoJo sweeps forcefully into the hero's life and teaches him about life... and himself. There's not a single thing about JoJo or her relationship with Adam Trese that rings true. And most of the first act is given over to this unconvincing character and relationship. (A later revelation about JoJo that explains some of her oddness seems awfully forced.)

When the focus shifts to Trese and Kirshner, things pick up a little, but only a little. To give you an idea of the level of plotting here, Trese and Kirshner meet when a group of threatening guys get pushy with Kirshner and a friend, and Trese steps in and gets beaten up protecting them. It's ridiculously contrived.

And while JoJo is the least believable character, none of the characters seem authentic. Trese is apparently a lawyer who dreams of being a cowboy, but all this seems to mean is that he wears suits at work and cowboy hats in his spare time. Kirshner is cute, but who is she? Who are any of these people? Good romance is about unique relationships between distinctive, believable characters, not 2-dimensional "cowboys" and "angels."

On the plus side, Radha Mitchell and Mia Kirshner both look beautiful. They're not overly glamorized, just healthy and glowing and gorgeous. And the relationship between Trese and Kirshner develops sweetly, if you make it that far. The country music on the soundtrack is pleasant enough, but there's a repeated music cue that rips off the Enigma sound and seems really, really out of place.

I guess if you want a wholesome romance with a focus on weddings rather than cussin' and sexin', maybe this will work for you, but if you like good movies, look somewhere else.

Any modern contemporary-set movie featuring a hero in a cowboy hat and a raft of C&W ballads is usually in trouble from the opening credits, and this flick doesn't do much to buck the trend. From the opening scene ( a woman in white strolling through a field of flowers in brilliant sunshine, joined by a cowboy on a white horse...) we are firmly in romantic territory, albeit tinctured with a hint of fantasy.

Haynes' direction is irritating at times. Although he already had three movies under his belt before this effort, with his jarring switch of styles (jump-cutting, hand-held, slo-mo, etc) he gives the impression of an eager young director fresh out of film school, which sits uncomfortably with the sophisticated air he seems, at times, to be striving for. However, there are some good touches in this movie (for some reason, the fat guy biting into an apple in the supermarket then replacing it on the display struck a chord), and some gentle, endearing humour. Nevertheless, watching this movie is a bit like watching a naive sixteen-year-old girl trying to fool you she's really twenty-eight.

This movie is somewhat of a romantic cliché movie, but somehow it really moved me. Everybody has been in and out love again can relate to this movie. It makes you smile and believe there is still hope of finding true love. I especially liked the music in the film - it really goes well with the story. Mia Kirshner plays a really good role - you can't help but like her character. The lead male character is also quite well played and overall the actors are doing a fair job. A nice movie for a rainy Sunday. And don't forget to invite your girlfriend (or future girlfriend!) - she will properly like it if she is the romantic type, I think.

A sweet enjoyable romance with supernatural overtones. I've heard it described as a very good episode of "Touched by an Angel" which is fairly accurate. There are some clunky moments, but overall quite touching and effective. The two lead actresses are especially good.

I rented this movie ready to be disappointed as what many other typical Hollywood movies have done. But I was nicely surprised. It is, actually a sweet and heart-warming romantic comedy.

Yes, I know it is a bit unrealistic and cliché but life is already so dark and heavy, why not open our little hearts to embrace a little fantasy and a touch of Heaven? I know in reality I may never find the one. Nevertheless, it's nice to see that others do - even on a screen.

In an age in which violence and horror movies rampant, a film of such touches my heart in its subtle yet powerful ways.

A plea to my own angel, please come unlock my jaded heart.