Dave here, lowering the tone slightly as he chimes in on 2003. But we all have our pets, don't we? Those films that we know aren't masterpieces, or perfect, or are going to appeal to everyone, but are besotted with regardless.
Down With Love is one of those for me. It's become one of my favourite comedies of the 2000s, and, not to be sacrilegious, but I find it infinitely preferable to the Doris Day/Rock Hudson sex comedies it's based on. I think maybe that's because
Down With Love has those films as an extra base to riff on; it mines the same territory while also lovingly mocking
Pillow Talk et al. It may also be the last time Renee Zellweger was charming, funny, attractive and altogether a very pleasing presence in her movie. I'd quote her remarkable expositionary monologue, but that's really something you should
see (spoilers, however), so instead, enjoy this brilliantly basic wordplay. ('Know' and 'Now' are, rather hilariously, magazine titles.)
Barbara Novak: Another ruse, Catcher? You know I have no interest in seeing you.
Catcher Block: But you know you have to, and you know I know you have to. I'm sure you know how things are at KNOW ever since your new NOW.
Barbara Novak: I have no way of knowing how things are now at KNOW. I knew how things were at KNOW before NOW.
Catcher Block: Then you should know now at KNOW things are a lot like they are at NOW, we have to interview every applicant for every job, and so do you or you'd be going against NOW's definition of discrimination and you wouldn't want the readers of NOW or KNOW to know that, now would you?
I'm not sure how it well it works on the page. So go and watch it now, won't you? There's good readers.
Barbara Novak: Another ruse, Catcher? You know I have no interest in seeing you.
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11 comments:
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
I love this movie! Ewan is so charming!
I remember loving the dialogue in this movie...
Catcher Block...ladies' man,man's man,man about town...
It was one of my faves of 2003...I really thought this and Big Fish would help Ewan MCGregor breakthrough in Hollywood as a LEAD actor,but since then he's been playing second fiddle to Tom Hanks and Hilary Swank,so I guess that didn't happen after all
alexis -- well, he would have needed those movies to be hits. Still, it's a real shame he's always second or third string. It's like what kept happening to Toni Collette. I mean supporting Nia Vardalos??? oy.
The dialogue was great! "I'm sorry Miss Novak, the daaaarndest thing."
This always brings a smile to my face.
you're right. this is a film you have to see to catch the whole experience. It's even better if you've seen those old Rock Hudson Doris Day romantic comedies of the 50s and 60s.
yep, this is definitely a guilty pleasure movie for me. i have to admit that the split-screen telephone conversation still makes me giggle. plus, i do love the duet at the end. i even have it on my iPod. ok, i think that's enough shame for one day.
plus, i still wonder why she-must-not-be named.
Derreck -- it's an old joke from the days where I couldn't stand to think about look at or less mention her ubiquity (around the cold mountain situation...)
her semi-absence or at least the media receding from obsession with her has helped me rediscover my past varying moods when it comes to her.
to me she's one of the most uneven screen presences of my life: i've absolutely loved her in films and absolutely despised her. And everywhere inbetween.
I haven't seen this in ages, but I randomly taped it when it was shown on television at some ungodly hour over the weekend and I plan to rewatch it soon! I remember in particular loving the two friend characters (David Hyde Pierce and Sarah Paulson) and the cameos from Rachel Dratch and Jack Plotnick. Now there's a bunch of funny, charming actors!
I adore this film. If I'd been thinking about it being '03 I'd have put it on my top 10 list. The writing and delivery was superb (as was the casting of the side characters as Catherine notes), the homages to the earlier films were spot on, and relating to that, the art direction was excellent. I still remember Anthony Lane's review in which he was highlighting the pure joy of the costumes. You could practically see his smile getting bigger and bigger as you read his review, recounting the veritable fashion show going on in the sequence where Catcher kept avoiding her to bed the stewardesses.
Great comedy! One of my favourite movie that year. Renee was even better here than in Chicago. Very funny and her monologue is fantastic!
I loved the costume parade, too, and Sarah Paulson is one of the most delightful best friends, ever. One thing that made me love McGregor's performance was his walk and swagger, almost dance and such fun. So few actors seem to move well, or have fun doing it.
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