A Previous Engagement

I cannot disagree more than with the comment that Melius from Toronto posted regarding this movie. I laughed out-loud during many of the scenes and felt the bittersweet sadness of other parts of the story. While on vacation when I was much younger, I met someone whom I liked very much and we had a definite chemistry, but we prevented it from going too far at the time. The last thing the person said to me was, "I know one day, might be 30 years from now, but one day, are paths will cross and we will meet again". With the internet, I know this person has a dental practice and is living in Maine. I can completely understand what would motivate the main character in this film to seek out the person she felt was her one true love. I liked this movie so much that I am right now seeing if the DVD is available for sale because I would like to own a copy.

i loved, loved, loved this film... the cinematography is breathtaking, the writing hilarious, the acting brilliant. Juliet Stevenson is still one of the greatest actresses of her generation & shows off her comedic skills while maintaining a real tenderness & emotional foundation. she plays it perfectly. the dynamic between her two daughters is hilarious, and both girls hold their own with such a pro cast. as usual, Simon Woods is a complete babe, & Daniel Stern is like the cherry on top of the cake! the story is brave, funny & exciting, just as is Stevenson's character. the plot takes daring twists & turns, just as the viewer hopes it will, without being predictable. i left this film with a giant smile on my face & haven't stopped thinking about it since. all hail Joan Carr-Wiggin!

This movie has received some astonishingly positive reviews, and sounded good. So we watched it. Unfortunately, it isn't very good. Warning - when you see five or so reviews giving 10 stars (ten!!) from people who only ever do one review, the alarm bells should be ringing. In no universe is this ever going to be a 10 star movie. There are some funny bits, a couple of mild twists, and a few nice shots of Malta, but otherwise the script is unlikely, the characters not believable, the whole thing is simply ridiculous.

One acting high spot was Valerie Mahaffey as Grace - she was pretty good.

So if you feel so inclined, watch this movie, then read the 10 star reviews, and prepare to be annoyed at the obvious attempts at rating manipulation.

I loved a lot about this cute movie -- loved the romantic premise, the beautiful setting, the quirky plot and Especially the Ending! Absolutely Adored the performances by Daniel Stern as Jack Reynolds, the husband, and Valerie Mahaffey as Grace, the Redhead. The film is not to be missed for them alone. But I laughed aloud in a lot of other places too -- Claire Brosseau's disgruntled daughter was spot-on and some of the silly situations really got to me. My friend laughed away as well -- often in different places from me -- such is the mystery of humor -- and she also thoroughly enjoyed this fun, escapist movie -- how nice to get away from the depressing news for a change. Hoorah for Joan Carr-Wiggin, writer and director, for concocting a bon bon for us all, but especially for us oft neglected female baby boomers.

I have the strong suspicion that everyone here who gave this movie a positive review is in some way or the other affiliated with the producers, actors or has a share in the profits.

And furthermore, although I am unable to provide evidence of this either, I have the strong suspicion all of the cast and crew were in it just because they wanted to spend time on Malta while getting paid for it.

I don't want to waste much time or many words on this one, but I want to call your attention to the review by @Melius. Although a one star rating seems a little harsh (I am saving the one star rating for movies supporting seal hunting or puppy torture) he has it absolutely right. I have no explanation for the dominance of positive reviews and the only reason I am writing about this epic fail of a movie is to contribute to a certain balance in user reviews.

This movie should be shown in film classes to demonstrate how to ruin a good idea by

a) terrible directing

b) over the top acting (what is wrong with those people praising the performances???)

and c) a terrible, terrible, terrible script.

The people in it don't behave like real people. It's the first time I was so aggressive watching a movie I wanted to punch the characters in the face. And I have seen Transformers 3. It doesn't feel like a movie after all, but... I don't know. I don't know, because the vast stupidity of "A Previous Engagement" sucked my brains out.