Et (beaucoup) plus si affinités

What a great movie to see as an escape from the mindless explosions in so many "Hollywood" movies. The characters were great. It was very funny! And it was touching. It would probably be in the "chick flick" category, but that's an unfortunate way to pigeonhole this movie. Spoiler alert!!! (I just want to be on the safe side.) I would classify this movie as an updated version of When Harry Met Sally. Daniel Radcliffe is excellent, as is the rest of the cast. We went to a sneak preview a few days ago and I was kind of shocked to read that it was made last year(2013) and "might have a Valentine 2014 release". What the heck happened? I am glad it has a release date for next month(8-2014) I am going to spread the word via Facebook and texts. Great movie.

This film tells the story of a man who is mending his broken heart after finding out his ex-girlfriend cheating on him. He meets a lovely lady with a boyfriend. They want to stay as friends but they both want more than just friends.

It sounds like a promising story, but I find the resultant film boring and annoying. The dialog and the plot made my eyes roll in exasperation so many times because they are so stupid and unbelievable. Am I really supposed o be entertained by the mean and horrible supporting characters, called Allan and Nicole? Or is it that interesting to see the two people in the spotlight just meandering their way through their life? I watched the whole film and it did not get better. I was so disappointed by this film, and could not wait for it to end.

It doesn't use an original idea nor does it stay clear from the usual RomCom tropes and the plot is sort of predictable. But even though it has all the ingredients for a derivative flick it feels fresh and is quite entertaining. Mainly it's because of Radcliffe and Kazan, the more original dialogues and by staying clear from slapstick comedy. Also the story by itself feels convincing as a whole and the characters stay consistent and relatable for the most part. Though, by the end you also recognize that they slandered a lot of potential by going the usual RomCom route. It could have been better by doing a few things differently, which I'm not going to name here to avoid spoilers.

Bottom line, if you like RomComs then you will probably like this one. If you don't like the genre at all you may still find this one bearable enough to sit through it next to someone.

I went to a screening of the F Word at the Toronto International Film Festival and I can say I had a good time (I can also say that Daniel Radcliffe is much much shorter in person than what you would expect.) I wasn't sure what the story was or what type of movie it would be and from the director of Goon and Fubar, I probably wouldn't have expected a romantic comedy, but as it turns out it was and I quite enjoyed it.

The film tells the story of Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) and Chantry (Zoe Kazan) who meet at a party when Wallace finally gets over being dumped over a year ago and goes back into the world. He soon finds out that Chantry has a boyfriend but the two of them decide they'll give a go at being friends. Both characters are somewhat awkward and seem to have little friends outside of Allan (Adam Driver) and Nicole (Mackenzie Davis). Their best friends are common friends but for some unknown reason they had never met before, probably due to Wallace being somewhat emotionally unstable and completely shut off in his apartment for months on end.

The film is predictable overall but still brings some fresh moments. I absolutely love Adam Driver and he plays more or less the same character he plays on Girls but it was great to see him here. The characters are lovable in their awkwardness and shyness and you do hope for them to get together. They're also quite believable. Wallace was in med school but dropped out (still because he got dumped honestly, Wallace can't really handle being dumped) and now works at an alienating low end job, while Chantry has that girl next door look and works in an animation studio, with pressure to accept a promotion she's not sure she wants.

The film is cute for sure, but also really funny at times. I'm not a huge fan of Daniel Radcliffe to begin with, having seen him only in the obligatory Harry Potter series and the Woman in Black but he was quite good, and different. It's a bit slow but I can't say that was an issue for me. Toronto is featured a lot as the film was shot and takes place there (for once, they're not pretending it's New York) so it was great to see the city.

While there is no release date set, the director said the movie should come out around Valentine's Day so by all means, if you're looking for a fun comedy to watch, go see it. It's way better than most movies that come out for the holiday and it's one I believe both women and men will enjoy.

What If asks a basic question if a friendship between a boy and a girl could lead their relationship to something romantic. It isn't an idea that we haven't heard before, of course, but for some reason the movie does feel a lot fresh. It offers one thing that we don't always see in a romantic film lately: an ultimately likable on screen couple. They may not be a typical stale supermodel looking pair, the uniqueness it highlights to these characters are their personalities and their problems. It may not make their personal situations any complex, but it still is a memorable little romcom that shines through its humor and performances.

The film is best when it only settles with its two leads starting to build their connection into friendship until it gets serious. What makes this love story so genuine is their conversations as friends pouring out their honest views toward something, like love or their lives. Following its central plot would make the clichés visible, but by just looking through the world of these characters is what helps it show its own color. It also sells well when they reveal each of their issues, it sometimes takes them as one of its jokes, but whenever it gets compellingly heavy, it usually resolve those situations too easy. It's probably because it wanted to focus more on its sweetness, but it does still deserve some depth at the unthinkable fate of the "friendzone".

The depth is instead placed on the actors. There is an undeniable charm to be found in Daniel Radcliffe, even though his character is struck with a cynical side personality and Zoe Kazan brings much of the soul to the connection of every person her character jumps right into. Both of them spark a strangely admirable chemistry that makes the witty screen writing sound more lively. It just embraces the awkwardness of their desires. The direction makes it real simple, though it does pull off a little hipster-y animation when it shows their abstract feelings, but most of the time it just let it linger at the very meaningful moments.

The most important thing What If needs is gumption at portraying how doomed the both are from ending up with each other, but it still is a worth a watch for its often delightful environment. Its strongest appeal is just the two stars tagging you along in their world of an uncertain luck. Not sure what kind of people would leave the theater having sudden thoughts of word magnets and art-driven animation, or nachos and Fool's Gold Loaf, but to be sure this film has its distinction as a romantic comedy. Overall, it's all pretty nice.