Skin & Other Things

Just want to give a brief shout-out to the Charles Randolph and Zwick-Herskovitz scripted Love and Other Drugs, an endearing mess of a movie - actually three different movies trying to be one - that sucks on some levels but is kind of brilliant on a few.

Mainly what's impressive to me as a rom-com maven is its handling of the protagonist's erotic and romantic relationship.  Finally, a movie where the heroine doesn't keep a sheet glued to her clavicle after (or during) a bout of hot sex - kudos to a brave Anne Hathaway - where the heroine decidedly does not have marriage (or even a sustained relationship) as her tacit goal, where the hero actually doesn't turn down that meaningless sexual menage while still pining for his errant beloved. 

In other words, a relationship in a romantic comedy that bears some relationship to life as we actually live it. 

Love's less stellar aspects aside (the disease-of-the-month mawkishness, the fat-horny-roommate farcical shtick), it also takes on the pharmaceutical industry in a manner that's startling for a mainstream Hollywood product.  The movie is a room-splitter; you'll either applaud or groan at its sending up and tweaking that hoariest of rom-com bedroom clichês - the shot of the heroine's hand clenching a bedsheet in the height of passion - by actually making it character-driven (Hathaway's hand trembles because she's got Parkinson's). 

Nonetheless, for its attempt to push a tired and frayed envelope open, Love and Other Drugs will definitely earn a Special Achievement Award in the upcoming 2010 Astas.   If you're a fan of the genre, you may want to catch it before it disappears in the end-of-the-year Big Serious Oscar Movie Contenders glut.

Comments

[J]

You're back! Or at least...you posted! We miss you over here in Blogville. Or at least...I do.

I think I'll wait for video for this one...although the idea of seeing a 15 foot naked Jake Gyllenhaal is *almost* enough to make me reconsider...

[mernitman]

And the 15-foot Hathaway curvage was a treat for us red-blooded males...

Thanks for the missing! It was fun to drop in on a whim.

[Stephanie]

Glad to see your blog has returned. Will head for the movies sooner than later. I want to see how it's different than "Love Story."

[Judith]

@stephanie - I thought a lot about love story after seeing it. There are clear parallels, but the diversions are just as worthwhile.

Really makes you ponder health care in the usa . . .

[E.C. Henry]

Billy, Glad to hear you're going to do a 2010 Astas post. Can't wait to read it. This year's rom-com offerings have been so infrequent, it makes me think American cinema has forgotten to love. Honestly how many rom-coms can you even go over that had a 2010 release date? That'll be a good challenge for a champion such as yourself.

Haven't seen "Love and Other Drugs" yet. Wasn't planning on it -- until I read your post. HUGE Anne Hathaway fan, but for some reason the underlying premise/set up didn't register with me.

Anyway, good to have you back!

- E.C. Henry from Bonney Lake, Wa

[Trevor]

Did a double-take when I saw your post show up. Great to see it, and thanks for the quick movie insight!

[mernitman]

Hi Stephanie: Good to hear from you! Hope all goes well. Re: the LOVE STORY stuff, it's actually not as bad as it coulda been, but... well, see what you think.

Judith: I know - that pharma angle was pretty cool, I thought. And how did they get Pfizer to sign off on it?

Hey EC: Always good to hear from Bonney Lake. If you're huge for Hathaway, this is pretty much a must-see. And you're right about the paucity of good rom-coms in 2010. Could be a short Asta post...

Trevor: You're welcome. I posted on a whim - may be back when the next whim arrives.

[Joseph Oppenheim]

I thought Edward Burns' "Nice Guy Johnny" was a pretty good rom-com in 2010.

[mernitman]

Hey Joseph: Your mastery of obscurity is impressive. Never even HEARD about the Burns, and your "Keith" pick is new to me as well; I'll look into these...