A Reel Life film section
Issue: Winter, 2009
I Hate Valentine's Day (2009) movie review
Romance vs Love -- Avoiding The Big Hurt
Like us on facebook
Contents of Festivale Bookroom and Technology Bytes, Pictorial Guide to Melbourne and Victoria.
See also:
Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding, My Life in Ruins
Genevieve (Nia Vardalos) has it all worked out. From her ruling position as purveyer of floral romance she delivers her vision of dating-for-romance. The most basic rules are 1. Only five dates 2. Obey her expectations of romance 3. Don't get hurt. These commandments are inspired by watching her mother cry over her now-estranged father's infidelities.
It all works wonderfully until there's a mix up and she thinks there has been four (great) dates, and he that there have been five. Suddenly the pressure to pitch woo is on the other foot and ladies, it doesn't look easy.
Ms Vardalos writes, directs and performs the female lead in I Hate Valentine's Day. She rejoins actor John Corbett who played opposite her so well in another of her scripts, My Big Fat Greek Wedding.
Movie poster, I Hate Valentine's Day
She had him at get lost.
While this reviewer is often impressed by the results from the unified vision of a single writer/director (or writing/directing team), Vardolos discovers the pitfalls of directing oneself.
There are lines, especially in the first half of the film, that she delivers with a wide-eyed lack of focus that comes from tilting the head to meet an eyeline, but not focussing at the correct distance. A director would see this, the cinematographer SHOULD have seen this. The result is, frankly, a bit creepy-looking and makes the lines flop badly.
I Hate Valentine's Day is a solid, if uninspired, story. Girl meets boy, girl loses boy, girl realises ...
We, the audience, know that no-one as certain of her views of love and romance as Genevieve is can be allowed to navigate a film unscathed. She must have her comeupance.
When Vardalos is not mis-delivering her lines -- and she is relatively good in the role, the film chugs along nicely. It's a rocky "B" film. Fine if you're looking for something light to pass the time, but not living up to its potential -- and the script is a "B" at best.
|
Like us on facebook  |
by Ali Kayn |
Just the facts:Title: I Hate Valentine's Day (2009) The Players: Nia Vardalos, John Corbett Official website: IMDb entry For session times of current films, use the cinema listings on the Movie links page. For scheduled release dates, see the coming attractions section. For more information about this movie, check out the internet movie database. |
Like us on facebook
No other uses are permitted without the prior written consent of owner.
Use of the material in violation of the foregoing may result in civil and/or criminal penalties.
Celebrate everything!
www.festivale.info
ISSN 1328-8008
Published in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
disclaimers | contact the editor | Festivale revision history
Published in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia copyright © Festivale 2009 All rights reserved
Filed: 2009
Last updated:
Last tested: 08-Feb-2010
Last compiled: 1-Sep-2013
