SNMR 4.15: "Down With Love"

Tonight's SNMR feature is "Down With Love" (2003, PG-13, 101 minutes), starring Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, David Hyde Pierce and Sarah Paulson. The film was directed by Peyton Reed.

I'd seen this DVD in the store and at the library and thought it would be a good movie to watch, since I like the lead actors from other films. So when I saw it on the library shelf, I couldn't resist, not knowing entirely what to expect.

PLOT SUMMARY: Set in New York in 1962, Catcher Block (McGregor) is the playboy journalist, man about town extraordinaire that all the girls love and whom he loves back. Barbara Novak (Zellweger) is a strait laced, feminist novelist out to bring down the world of romance with her new book called "Down With Love" that becomes a bestseller. Novak's publicist/editor Vikki Hiller (Paulson) sets up Novak to do a cover story with Block for the men's magazine "Know", owned by Peter MacMannus (Pierce). After being snubbed three times by Block, Novak refuses to meet with him. Block is offended and decides to take Novak down a few notches by getting her to fall in love with him so he can write a damaging expose. Who knew that in the process he would fall madly in love with her.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS MOVIE: This movie never takes itself seriously and is set as a spoof for the prepackaged fluff romance movies of the early 60's with Rock Hudson and Doris Day. The script is witty and charming. The actors are purposefully cheesy, which adds to the comedic value of this film. The costumes, styles and colors are vibrant. The music enhances the story. This movie does not take place in real life New York but New York through the lens of a 1960's movie. The DVD extras were excellent, including eight production vignettes, an HBO Special, bloopers, deleted scenes and more.

WHAT I DID NOT LIKE ABOUT THIS MOVIE: Can you say a little too much cheese? That's about it, though.

***1/4 out of *****