Directed by: Nicholas StollerRunning Time: 1h 52min
Grade: B
5.17.2008
P.S. I Love You
Directed by: Richard LaGraveneseStarring: Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Lisa Kudrow, Gina Gershon, Kathy Bates, Harry Connick Jr., Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Running Time: 2h 6min
Creepy beyond belief, the words P.S. I Love You take on a whole new, ominous meaning in this film about a young woman whose deceased husband haunts her from the grave. Honestly, that's not the intention. In fact, the husband's messages delivered posthumously are intended to be romantic love letters from a thoughtful (really thoughtful, really, really thoughtful) and caring lover. Only, the film does a poor job establishing the relationship between Swank and Butler, which make these afterlife exchanges seem more like sadistic controlling behaviour rather than sweet eternal love.
If you can get over this aspect (i couldn't), then you may enjoy the humour and heartbreak that this film manages to balance equally. I have to commend the director, LaGravenese, for his ability to explore middle aged women in a complete and honest fashion. Swank's character comes off a little less interesting than Holly Hunter in one of my favourite films from LaGravenese, Living Out Loud. Indeed, it is LaGravenese's past success (he also wrote The Fisher King, another favourite of mine) which makes this film a bit of a disappointment.
LaGravenese's scripts have a genuine sense of humanity. His dialogue is very honest (see Harry Connick Jr.'s role) and realistic, and covers the gamut of emotions that we feel throughout each and every day of our lives. He situates his characters in real life moments that are drastically stressful and follows them through on those journeys. It is in these moments that we connect to his films and characters, and this film is no exception. There is some superb acting here, especially from the supporting cast. Bates is a standout, and frankly, the supporting players put the leads to shame.
This is where it all falls down. Neither of the leads is exceptionally likeable, and it makes it hard for us to care where they are headed. Both are funny at times, but not sympathetic. Swank comes off as whinny and self centered, and even when she has a right to be that way, it still resonates with annoyance. Butler's character is too inconsistent, being all things at all times. Perhaps this was intentional, as we often remember people the way we wanted them to be, rather than how they truly were. However, it makes his letters seem borderline psychotic, and as Swank dwells in their past instead of facing her future, she seems prone to bouts of insanity.
Maybe I'm being too harsh and unsympathetic to the enormity of the movie's premise. I did enjoy the flow of the film, but felt it was too uneven and dreamt up at times to recommend. There are some humorous bits, and on its own, the film is worth a rental. Yet, in relation to his previous efforts, P.S. I Love You is nothing but a post script to a more endearing film resume.
Grade: C+
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)