Okay, full disclosure: I loathe movies in which seemingly smart, talented women consider snagging a man (a barftastic expression in and of itself) to be the be-all, end-all goal of their existence. It’s an insidious trope that reduces us to a flock of retrograde numbskulls. As an anthropological experiment/exercise in masochism, I dragged my husband and some pals to see Bride Wars on opening night earlier this year and I’m still scarred. (Serves me right, I know, I know.) There was a scene in which a small Tiffany box (i.e. THE COVETED RING!) falls from a closet shelf into Kate Hudson’s (or maybe it was Anne Hathaway’s?) hands. This prompted — I kid you not — the row of women behind me to gasp, then squeal in delight. And no, they were not 15 year-olds. With all due respect to them, I just don’t get it.
So anyway, the trailer for Leap Year (in theaters Jan. 8 2010) would seem to be very much in the mold of gotta-get-the-ring! romantic comedies and therefore, not my bag. Amy Adams stars as an American woman who travels to Ireland to propose to her boyfriend on Feb. 29. On her way to find her guy (Knocked Up’s Adam Scott), she meets a dashing Irish chap (Watchmen’s Matthew Goode) and…well, you know. From the fake-out non-proposal-over-romantic-dinner to the pretending-to-be-lovers-until-we-really-fall-in-love bit, the trailer is a veritable playbook of rom-com clichés.
Yet for some bizarre reason, I’m not ready to write this one off just yet. There’s the Amy Adams factor, for one. I’ve never not enjoyed the two-time Oscar nominee on screen. And I’d like to think that she’s smart enough to be discerning about which projects she selects. Then there’s the director, Anand Tucker, who helmed Shopgirl and Hilary and Jackie — two solid films that no one could ever describe as vacuous entertainment. And finally, the script was co-written by Slumdog Millionaire’s Oscar-winning Simon Beaufoy. Sure, he shares screenwriting credit with Harry Elfont and Deborah Kaplan, the team behind Made of Honor, Surviving Christmas and Josie and the Pussycats. That’s less encouraging. But am I crazy for holding out hope that Leap Year will be better than your average 27 Made of Honor Dresses for the New in Town Ugly Truth about The Proposal of Bride Wars?
I probably am.
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I’ve seen this movie before, in bits in pieces… in other movies. Which is sad, because I could watch Amy Adams read the phone book and be happy. But not this, no way.
I have been fairly disgusted with the rom com that has come out recently too. I think 27 Dresses was the last one and there were parts that really bothered me about that one too.
You’re so right!!! My mom (and me) was a big fan of Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwick. It’s weird that back before women’s rights the rom-coms they made had the leading ladies on equal footing with their male leads. So why do the female characters nowadays seem so, I don’t know, sad? Pathetic? Incomplete?
BTW – The Lady Eve, My Favorite Wife, The Ugly Truth, Pat and Mike. Still good, still worth watching.
Good list! I’d add Holiday, His Girl Friday and The Philadelphia Story.
Seriously…I wouldn’t even begin to hope that this movie will be good! Come Onnnnnn!!!
Looks just like every other rom-com (especially ones where they go to other countries – what is with Ireland/Scotland as of late?) but Matthew Goode and Adam Scott I feel like are kinda a-typical leads for a rom-com, so that gives me hope….I mean, they aren’t as pretty as Patrick Dempsey or Ryan Reynolds, but dear Morgana they are gorg gorg gorg.
Matthew Goode is just SO HOT. I have no rational comments on this development, as his accent has melted my brain.
haha yeah that accent is quite yummy, he’s not even irish right?
Nope, he’s English, and his normal voice is pretty awesome too!
I thought he was Scottish. Whatever he is, he’s delicious, accent or no. I’ll see this one just for the cast, if nothing else. I love all three of the leads.
Besides, I like a good rom-com. There haven’t been many good ones in the past couple years. Proposal was the last one I liked. Before that, Just Like Heaven and Music and Lyrics were pretty decent.
The trailer gives away the WHOLE movie. I wonder who she will choose?
Yes! Why does every trailer now give away the entire plot of the movie?!? i don’t understand when this happened and what the strategy is? that said- matthew goode- yum yum
Yeah, seriously! I now have no reason to see the movie as the trailer just showed me the entire thing!
i like adams and i love matthew goode, but this movie is coming out in january. JANUARY. good movies rarely come out in jan unless they are oscar movies going into wider release.
Anyone konw the song in the trailer?
I’m not a rom-com fan, and this reminds me of The Proposal, 27 Dresses AND Made Of Honor – and they’re the only rom-coms I’ve seen in the last year.
That said, Amy Adams is brilliant, so I hope it’s better than average, if only for her sake.
oh yeah that’s the other thing i was going to say….second Amy Adams movie trailer with a Decemberists song (the other was for Sunshine Cleaning, Crane Wife 3). This song is O Valencia I think. Dunno about the second song snippet though
plus the trailer is so corny, and that cheesy voice over.
Looks typical but I like the pairing of Matthew Goode and Amy Adams. Rental.
Yes you’re crazy. Don’t get me wrong. Amy Adams is a darling (as charming as ever), but, as you say, this movie seems like its ridden with cliches. It’s like the writers thought they’d throw Adams at Ireland because she has red hair. Let her have a rom-com romp in the rolling hills of… yeah we get it already.
Ben – Just Say Yes, by Snow Patrol.
You know what the worst one was? He’s Just Not That Into You. Made me physically ill. All women are crazy! Was the message of that one. Honestly, aren’t there any women involved in the production of these movies?? How can they LIVE with themselves?? The Ugly Truth is another–which was actually WRITTEN by three women. Disastrous!!
Bride Wars was bad, but I agree–I have never been as disappointed with a movie as I was with He’s Just Not That Into You. I thought it woud be smart and funny–Justin Long! Ginnifer Goodwin! Drew Barrymore!–but it turned out to be dull, formulaic, and, worst of all, self-contradictory. Awful.
Agree. He’s just not that into you was awful. Leap Year doesn’t look that bad mainly because Amy Adams is so likable. Once I get based the fact that the movie is basically saying women have to sit and patiently wait to be proposed to…or they can wait until Leap Year and propose themselves. All recent romcoms have been like that. Hard to root for the girl if she is too spineless to either be more agressive or walk away.
Oh, who am I kidding, I’ll probably rent it, or watch it on cable…I like Amy Adams and Matthew Goode is adorable. Sounds better than Bride Wars did, for sure!
Yes, this looks totally cliche, cheesy, and predictable, but I think the “Amy Adams factor” is the reason I might decide to go see it- she’s such a good actress and so darn adorable!
I admit to being greatly saddened by the trailer, given how much I like Amy Adams, Matthew Goode (even in stupid rom-com stuff), and the director pedigree. This one seems more cookie cutter than the average – closer to The Proposal and Made of Honor (oof) than 27 Dresses (which actually had sweet moments). Although it has been a LONG time since I felt the need to watch one of these in the theater rather than waiting for my local library to snag a copy…
yeah … but the panty melting accents!
I, for one, acctually want to see this! it looks really good!
Uggh – cows? really?
Plus, Kate Olson is in this movie. She’s so funny of It’s Always…
I’m actually looking forward to this!
Why do women complain about these movies and then give them $40 million opening weekends? Vote with your dollar dummies!
I really really hate rom coms, but I love Amy Adams, Matthew Goode is great to look at, and I love a good Irish accent. I’ll see it on DVD, at least.
Ummm…you can’t drive from Wales to Ireland – the Irish Sea is between them. I hope that was a simple mistake and they didn’t land in Wales.
Perhaps that explains the random scene on a boat in the middle of a storm.
I heart rom-com – wait, I heart good, quality rom-com! Because I would never waste my time with Bride Wars. This looks good because of the superb cast. Anybody watch Adam Scott from Party Down? And then of course the gorgeous Matthew Goode!
But there is nothing in this movie that makes it different from all the previous of the same genre. The part where she is on the plane experiencing heavy turbulence, and she is like I will not die without getting engaged. Come on – such a typical line!!
You loathe movies in which “seemingly smart, talented women consider snagging a man to be the be-all, end-all goal of their existence”?
Um, I hate to point out the obvious, but you just described the entire premise of Twilight. You know, that film on the cover of your magazine this week… and at least once a month for the past year.
Any “epic” love story is about how love IS the be-all, end-all of one’s existence. From Romeo and Juliet to Titanic, that’s basically the premise of all love stories.
I’m not a fan of Twilight, but Twilight certainly isn’t the only love story to portray love as the most important goal of one’s existence.
Sorry, no. The premise of Titanic is that despite losing her great love, the female protagonist still goes on to live a rich, full life… perhaps inspired by that love affair. If Bella Swan was on the Titanic, she would have jumped off the bowel. But anyways, what is your point? It’s still worth noting that this post runs counter to this magazine’s unhealthy obsession with Twilight.
Can’t help but to agree.
Let’s see…Clumsy heroine? Check. Foreign surroundings? Check. Stranded in the rain? Check. Animals? Check. Pretending to be married so everyone demands you kiss? Check. Opposites attract? Check. Is it too much to hope Amy Adams plays a writer or magazine editor and will at some point sing into her hairbrush? That way we’ll have just about every rom-com cliché represented in one film.
How about some mention of Kaitlin Olson? She’s hilarious in It’s Always Sunny, and I’m really glad she’s making a move to the big screen. She could be the next funny lady.
But, the trailer=blah. An endless cycle if cliches, BUT Amy Adams. So, yeah. I’ll be seeing it.
I know this isn’t really the point of your article, but the one movie that really make me sick to my stomach that fits the awful cliche you’re talking about is The Bachelor with Chris O’Donnell – just the sight of these women all dressed in wedding gowns chasing him down the street was enough to make me cry!
Love you Missy Schwartz and I totally agree – I want to like this. BUT it looks terrible. And in my experience, as great as the British Isles may be, American romcoms that end up there tend to be terrible. I’m talking Made of Honor and PS I Love You, the first ones that come to mind. Seeing this trailer just reminded me of the YAWN and BLECH factors of those clunkers…
“Knocked Up’s Adam Scott”? Uh, how long was he in that movie? Like 2 minutes right? At least credit him with something he starred in like Party Down.