I remember watching it as a teenager a long time ago and laughing a lot. Today, I decided to watch it again as a treat, but I was disappointed. It wasn't that amusing anymore. I did laugh and smile at times, but most of the humor made me cringe or feel secondhand embarrassment. Not funny.
The funeral made me cry like a fountain, though. John Hannah was amazing. Amazing.
I liked the sweet bunch of friends. They're the ones carrying the movie. But the two main leads were unlikeable, and increasingly so.
Hugh Grant is his usual charming, awkward, stuttering Brit. We are told repeatedly in the movie how cute he is. I mostly remember what a jerk he is. That scene with his exes is cringeworthy. And his decision to marry Henrietta, after the poor girl seemed to be over him at last and happily in a relationship. I felt sorry for her.
Carrie is an unlikeable character. She's cold and manipulative and cheats on her fiancé. I tried not to judge, but she was so cold and heartless. It doesn't help that Andie Macdowell doesn't act well and doesn't bring any depth to the character. She's wooden and felt fake to me. Her line "is it still raining? I hadn't noticed" made me roll my eyes. Is that supposed to remind us of Marilyn Monroe movies? With Andie Macdowell, it doesn't work at all.
The passion between the two leads doesn't make much sense to me. Those two hardly speak to each other. They don't even know each other. What is their bond based on? Sex? Or some ineffable connection between their souls? I do believe in ineffable connections between souls that require no lengthy bonding. But there's no chemistry between those two, no magic happening. The magic happens only because the plot tells us it happens, but we don't actually see any of it on screen. It's just boring.
I was hoping Charles would realize what an empty shell Carrie is and marry Fiona in the end. Oh well.
The five stars are for the group of friends and John Hannah.
The funeral made me cry like a fountain, though. John Hannah was amazing. Amazing.
I liked the sweet bunch of friends. They're the ones carrying the movie. But the two main leads were unlikeable, and increasingly so.
Hugh Grant is his usual charming, awkward, stuttering Brit. We are told repeatedly in the movie how cute he is. I mostly remember what a jerk he is. That scene with his exes is cringeworthy. And his decision to marry Henrietta, after the poor girl seemed to be over him at last and happily in a relationship. I felt sorry for her.
Carrie is an unlikeable character. She's cold and manipulative and cheats on her fiancé. I tried not to judge, but she was so cold and heartless. It doesn't help that Andie Macdowell doesn't act well and doesn't bring any depth to the character. She's wooden and felt fake to me. Her line "is it still raining? I hadn't noticed" made me roll my eyes. Is that supposed to remind us of Marilyn Monroe movies? With Andie Macdowell, it doesn't work at all.
The passion between the two leads doesn't make much sense to me. Those two hardly speak to each other. They don't even know each other. What is their bond based on? Sex? Or some ineffable connection between their souls? I do believe in ineffable connections between souls that require no lengthy bonding. But there's no chemistry between those two, no magic happening. The magic happens only because the plot tells us it happens, but we don't actually see any of it on screen. It's just boring.
I was hoping Charles would realize what an empty shell Carrie is and marry Fiona in the end. Oh well.
The five stars are for the group of friends and John Hannah.