Valentine's Day

Year 3, Day 45 - 2/14/11 - Movie #775

BEFORE: I added a couple of these "anthology" romance films to the list, this is a trend from Hollywood that started up a few years ago, where the movie is packed with stars and love stories, with the theory that more is more. This movie might be a bit too much on point today, but what better day would there be to watch it?

As a New Yorker, I wouldn't dream of going out on Valentine's Day - fighting the crowds in a fancy restaurant on the busiest day of the year? No thanks, the missus and I both prefer to spend a quiet Feb. 14th at home, after exchanging gifts and candy, and we'll step out on the town later this week - it's the smarter move.

THE PLOT: Intertwining couples and singles in Los Angeles break-up and make-up based on the pressures and expectations of Valentine's Day.

AFTER: Wow, everyone is connected to each other, and only we, the audience can see all the connections! So, it's like "Crash" re-imagined as a romantic comedy.

And more IS more, for the most part - but by focusing on everyone at once, it's close to impossible to fully develop any of the characters. It's like someone tried to cram so many situations and so many broad stereotypes into one film, that they didn't bother to consider how all of the pieces would fit together, or whether any coherent points could be made from the combination.

There's a loose structure to it all, and it's a somewhat interesting idea to center on a florist's shop on Valentine's Day, but some of the connections aren't revealed until the very last minute - and that makes things feel a little forced. It's more like a re-shuffle as couples break up and reassemble - and everyone pretty much ends up where you might expect. And this ALL happens in one day? Are there 40 hours in a day now?

I've got a few dozen Nitpick Points, the most glaring of which involves a character who gets on a flight to San Francisco, then is next seen at a hospital in L.A. - but there was no scene of her getting off the plane (which would have been against F.A.A. regulations at that point...).

Also, I don't believe there is a "Florist's Code". But even if there were, our florist character breaks the rules pretty quickly. And if there's not, why bring it up?

The bottom line is, people in L.A. are all self-absorbed - everyone is worried about their jobs, their images, what the relationship means for them, and then they all wonder why their relationships fell apart - it couldn't be because you were all just thinking of yourselves, could it? AND, nobody seems to learn anything from their mistakes, so that means they're going to continue to be self-interested, and they'll probably screw up their new relationship as well, and then wonder why.

Actually, there are two valid points that the movie makes - and they come from the two long-time married couples in the film. One married man says that the secret to a happy marriage is to "marry your best friend", and I have to agree. Or be best friends with the woman you marry, it's just as good. The other married couple learns that you have to take the good with the bad, and accept the little things you might not like for the sake of your relationship.

So a very special Valentine's Day shout-out to Michele, my partner and best friend, the person who understands what I'm all about, and for some reason, stays with me anyway. Happy Valentine's Day #15, but who's counting?

Starring Ashton Kutcher, Jennifer Garner (last seen in "Catch Me If You Can"), Julia Roberts (last seen in "Closer"), Jamie Foxx (last seen in "The Soloist"), Topher Grace, Anne Hathaway (last seen in "Get Smart"), Jessica Alba (last seen in "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer"), Jessica Biel (last seen in "Blade: Trinity"), Bradley Cooper (last seen in "The Hangover"), Queen Latifah (last seen in "Chicago"), George Lopez, Hector Elizondo (last seen in "Dear God"), Shirley Maclaine (last seen in "Terms of Endearment"), Patrick Dempsey (last seen in "Mobsters"), Eric Dane, Taylor Swift, and Taylor Lautner. Cameos from Kathy Bates (last seen in "Fred Claus"), Larry Miller (also last seen in "Dear God"), Joe Mantegna (last seen in "Thinner"), Kristen Schaal and Paul Williams as the DJ. Whew!

RATING: 4 out of 10 hurdles (physical or emotional?)