movie review: Love and Other Drugs

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Love & Other DrugsThe backstory: The trailer wooed me.

 The basics: Jake Gyllenhaal is a Pfizer drug sales rep in Ohio in 1996. Anne Hathaway has early onset Parkinson's.

 My thoughts: There is a lot of good in this movie, and most of it involves Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway. As a film, it doesn't work because it tries to do too much. It's part political message (prescriptions are heavily and disturbingly marketed to doctors/Viagra makes money while drug treatments for Parkinson's are neglected), part love story (including the requisite sappy chase scene), part frat boy humor (the brother of Jake's character is annoying and unnecessary), part erotica (there is a lot of nudity and sex people), and part professional odyssey and it makes it a rather messy film. It's a shame to fantastic performances are overshadowed by the film's lack of focus. The supporting cast is mostly solid too: Hank Azaria, Jill Clayburgh, Oliver Platt and Judy Greer are fine, but they don't have much to do.

 The verdict: The powerhouse performances of Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway couldn't save the film, but they do make it worth watching.

Rating: 3 stars (out of 5) 
Length: 112 minutes
Release date: It's in theaters now.
Source: I paid to see it my local independent cinema, the Spectrum 8.


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Comments

  1. Natalie~Coffee and a Book ChickDecember 2, 2010 at 9:37 AM

    What an absolute shame that this is all over the place! I love both of the leads in this, and thought it was going to be fantastic! Ah, well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ZibileeDecember 2, 2010 at 10:25 AM

    I have not ever heard of this movie, and with a cast like this one, it sounds like it should have been a blockbuster! Sorry to hear that it was not as good as was expected. I might wait for video on this one.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AmusedDecember 2, 2010 at 12:56 PM

    Oh wow, the newspapers have been talking this one up too! Oh well I'll rent this one then!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Romance MoviesDecember 5, 2010 at 2:21 PM

    Great review! I had been on the fence about seeing this movie, but I think I will pass. I like Anne Hathaway as an actress, but I think I will also wait to see this one on DVD.

    ReplyDelete

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