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2003
Directed by
Peyton Reed
101 minutes
Rated M

Reviewed by
Sharon Hurst
3.5 stars

Down With Love

Synopsis: Unknown writer Barbara Novak (Renee Zellweger) comes to New York City in the early 60s with her new book Down With Love, which espouses womens’ careers over love, and a three step program to sex without ties. Enter top journalist and ladies’ man Catcher Block (Ewan McGregor) who becomes determined to give Novak her come-uppance. Throw in Catcher’s best friend Peter McManus (David Hyde Pierce), a rather awkward hopeless romantic, who is trying to win Vicki Hiller (Sarah Paulson), Novak’s tough-minded editor, and you have a crazy, cute, funny, modern take-off of the 60s romances.

Down With Love celebrates the Doris Day/Rock Hudson kind of 60s rom-com and from the get-go its characteristic fluffy manner is in your face with jaunty music and voice-over announcing that "There are now 8 million and one people in New York" (as Zellweger emerges from the subway in a spiffy little pink suit) just reinforces this feel. But the content of the plot overturns the old 60s conventions and soon it is the women with the upper hand as a feminist spin is put upon the story.

As to be expected, the look of the film is everything – the dazzling Technicolor, the vibrant colour-coordinated costumes, the elegant apartments and cool nightclubs, not to mention the terrific music - all draw us into believing we’re on a total nostalgia trip - until the plot starts turning our expectations on their heads.

Renee Zellweger puts in a convincing performance however Sarah Poulson is perhaps the stronger of the two women with more sexiness than Renee’s simperingly cute moves can ever muster. Ewan McGregor is just right as Block, the Bond-like man’s man, ladies’ man and man-about-town combined  and his relationship with McManus highlights the comedic talents of both actors.

The film is replete with endless humorous references to the period - Mad magazine, The Ed Sullivan Show, telephonists furiously working enormous switchboards, beatnik parties and so on. All in all, this film achieves its goal of being plain old-fashioned fun. And by the way, don’t leave as the credits start to roll or you’ll miss a bonus!

 

 

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