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Love & Other Drugs: A Cure For the Common Cynic

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 11:00:45 PST

You can learn a lot about Love & Other Drugs from simply watching the trailer. There's sex. There's Viagra. There's crying. There's at least one very over-the-top sappy scene in which Jake Gyllenhaal's Jamie chases down Anne Hathaway's Maggie and professes his love for her. What you don't see is that while the preview does accurately reflect the themes of the film, it is also often very funny.

Jake Gyllenhaal puts his good looks to work as Jamie Randall, a med school dropout who isn't sure of anything besides his ADD and his ability to sweet talk ladies into bed. When he's fired from his job at an electronics store (for sleeping with the boss's girlfriend, no less), Jamie takes a job in Ohio as a pharmaceutical sales rep to please his overly bourgeois parents. He seems perfectly suited to a life of schmoozing doctors and peddling anti-depressants until he meets Maggie Murdoch (Anne Hathaway), a no-nonsense Parkinson's patient who doesn't fall for Jamie's cheesy courtship rituals. One coffee date later, and Maggie and Jamie have agreed to a no-frills, strictly sexual relationship, since neither one is interested in being tied down.

To find out if their chemistry lives up to the hype, just

There's a reason why the movie is called Love & Other Drugs and not the other way around. The movie starts off centered on Jamie and his budding career in pharmaceuticals, but ultimately, it's a love story. Once the film embeds itself into Maggie and Jamie's relationship, it only cuts back to the drug world for what feels like a fleeting moment. It's not an in-depth look into the world of pharmaceuticals in the 1990s; rather, Jamie's job is simply a catalyst for his relationship, and it eventually creates a problem as Maggie's condition worsens.

Though Jamie and Maggie's common denominators are low self-esteem and the inability to plan for the future, their no-strings-attached deal is quickly brought into question by their undeniable connection to one another. And it's easy to see why: though their romance is incredibly predictable, Hathaway and Gyllenhaal have onscreen chemistry to spare. The film is chock-full of sex scenes (and nudity) that range from carnal to comedic to sweet, but it complements the story without feeling excessive. Sure, you'll be able to draw Hathaway's breasts and Gyllenhaal's butt from memory after all is said and done, but the nudity actually fits naturally into a story about two twenty-somethings whose relationship largely revolves around sex (at least at first).

Both Gyllenhaal and Hathaway turn in fine performances but it's Josh Gad's supporting turn as Jamie's brother that shines the brightest. As Jamie's sibling-turned-freeloading roommate, Gad gets the best lines as he incessantly pokes fun at Jamie's cheesy attempts to win Maggie over. It brings an expected amount of raunchy humor to a film that could be otherwise passed off as drippy.

The problem with Love & Other Drugs is that director Edward Zwick doesn't seem to have a clear vision of what type of movie he's making. Maggie's constantly shaking hands represent a theme that is far too grim for a fluffy romantic comedy, but the movie is also too sappy and funny to be taken seriously as a drama. Though it has potential to represent an honest romance, eventually the movie falls victim to its inability to keep its sentimentality in check. However, the relationship at the epicenter of the film is more substantial than forgettable, making Love & Other Drugs a worthwhile movie if you can forgive a groan-inducing final act.

Laura Linney and Gabourey Sidibe Shed Light on The Big C

BuzzSugar — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 11:52:40 PDT

Day 2 at the Summer TCA is all about Showtime and The CW, kicking things off with Showtime's new series The Big C. The show, which will premiere on Aug. 16 after Weeds, is a comedy about Cathy (Laura Linney), a teacher who changes her outlook on life when she learns that she has cancer. Rounding out the cast are Oliver Platt as her husband and Gabourey Sidibe as one of her sassier high school students. At today's panel, Linney described the general themes of the show, while Sidibe discussed her own life's lessons.

Linney, who's also the executive producer, explained that the show is not about cancer, but making the most of the time in your life. She said, "When this script came to me, what hit me the most was the theme of time. And what do you do with time? What are the choices that we make, how we spend our time. The fact that we all have a limited amount and that it's a privilege to grow old. And I think that's something that many people have forgotten in this fast-paced world."
Linney also gave some insight into who Cathy is: "She's a woman who doesn't really know who she is and she has the opportunity to find out. And she's going to take it. She's been functioning very, very well but she hasn't really been living."
Sidibe feels like she can relate to Cathy's life getting a jump start after her own crazy year following her star-making role in Precious. She said, "It's been a strange year. I thought I'd be a receptionist. I've always been middle of the lane, normal. I've always had a normal life and this is what I got! Being an actress wasn't planned at all. It just shows that whatever you've planned for your life, you're wrong."

For more on what to expect from Showtime's newest comedy, just

Please Give: Generous With Social Critique, Laughs

Lauren Bradshaw — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 10:30:00 PDT

Movies can often leave us feeling entertained, uplifted, silly - but it's not every day that you find one that makes you think. Enter Please Give, the latest from director Nicole Holofcener (Friends With Money, Lovely and Amazing). In a world of films with paper-thin plots, Holofcener once again raises her discerning magnifying glass, examining age-old themes of conscience and societal responsibility in a way that feels fresh.

At the center of her story is Kate (Catherine Keener), the owner of a high-end resale furniture store in Manhattan. She makes her living by, as her husband Alex (Oliver Platt) puts it, getting unusual antiques from "the children of dead people" and marking them up for a lofty price. She tries to overcompensate for her actions by passing out twenties to the homeless taking residence on her street. It's a give-and-take driven by her guilt that it drives her family crazy, especially teenage daughter Abby (Sarah Steele). Kate is complicated, flawed and often irritating, but for the audience her moral dilemma feels all too relatable - and it's pretty comical, too.

To see what I mean,

For Kate's latest pet project, she decides to be nicer to Andra (a very funny Ann Guilbert), her hard of hearing, elderly next-door neighbor. Kate is waiting for Andra to keel over so she can take over her apartment, and thereby expand their own living quarters. That's the reality of the matter, but Kate still tries to make a genuine effort with Andra. As such, she offers to get her groceries and throws her a birthday party.

Andra's granddaughters Mary (Amanda Peet) and Rebecca (Rebecca Hall) see through Kate's act, but they're dealing with their own sense of obligation when it comes to their grandmother. Rebecca goes the route of dutiful relative, waiting on Andra hand and foot, while Mary prefers to focus on her own life. Mary and Rebecca are on polar opposite ends of the selfishness spectrum, and neither one is completely happy. Which is the question the film ultimately poses - how do we always give to others, while still keeping some for ourselves?

Please Give attempts to provide some answers, but it does so with humor. Catherine Keener is excellent here (as always), Platt takes a character who does unlikeable things and still somehow seems forgivable, and Sarah Steele's performance is also worth noting.

It's a film that sets a shining example of what happens when great actors are given a genuinely good script. The result isn't flashy or loud - and if you're looking for entertainment escapism on a Friday night, it may not even be your best choice. But it's charming and smart, the feel of a simplistic indie film done on a larger scale. I liked it so much, I may even go back for a second helping.

If you'd like to review a movie you've seen recently, check out the Movie Reviews Group in community. I may even feature your critique on the site!

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

Kate Hudson Avoids a Wardrobe Malfunction With New Mom Amanda Peet at Tribeca!

PopSugar — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:00:00 PDT

Kate Hudson took last night off from working on Something Borrowed to attend the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of her thriller The Killer Inside Me. She joined costars Jessica Alba and Casey Affleck, who brought his wife, Summer Phoenix. Jess was arm in arm with her own spouse Cash Warren, and was decked out in a boho-chic look for her evening off from serving as one of the festival's jurors. Abbie Cornish also made it out for her latest Tribeca event. Kate picked a black Louis Vuitton dress for the occasion, though her and Jess's characters in the movie wore vintage pieces from the '50s.

Kate's LBD almost encountered a major problem when a gust of wind rolled through and she risked a Marilyn Monroe moment, but Jessica was there to save the day. Meanwhile, the cast of Please Give headed out for their own press call. Catherine Keener, Oliver Platt, and Rebecca Hall joined new mom Amanda Peet - she and her husband David Benioff welcomed their second daughter, Molly, just eight days ago! On her baby's arrival, Amanda said, "So far, so good! She's great. I'm in love with her!"

To see more photos of Kate, Jessica, and Abbie at the premiere, just

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Images include: Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Abbie Cornish, Cash Warren, Casey Affleck, Summer Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, Catherine Keener, Amanda Peet, Oliver Platt, Sarah Steele, Rebecca Hall, Thomas Ian Nicholas

Sneak Peek: Laura Linney in The Big C

BuzzSugar — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:30:25 PDT

I've been looking forward to Showtime's latest original series, The Big C, since the Winter TCA, when I had a brief look. Today everyone gets a peek at the new trailer for the show, which premieres this Summer.

In it, Laura Linney plays Cathy, a woman who resolves to change bits of her life when she learns she has breast cancer. As grim as that may sound, this is no downer show - from the promo, you see that The Big C is heavier on comedy than melodrama. Cathy starts out droll, but the influence of her diagnosis sends her into a feisty tailspin, to the surprise of her family and students. Speaking of students, Precious's Gabourey Sidibe stars as one of Cathy's, as sassy and mouthy as Sidibe herself is on the red carpet.

Watch the trailer when you

Movie Preview: Nicole Holofcener's Please Give

BuzzSugar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:31:06 PDT

When it comes to tackling human insecurities and modern-day relationships, writer-director Nicole Holofcener and Catherine Keener are a dream duo. With the past critical success of Walking and Talking, Lovely and Amazing, and Friends With Money to their credits, they're once again reteaming on the big screen for their latest collaboration, Please Give.

Keener plays a Manhattan-based mom grappling with her own conscience. A buyer of dead people's furniture, she resells the items at her high-end store, basically profiting off their misfortune. In an effort to balance out her own karma, she passes out $20 bills to homeless people, in part to teach her daughter the importance of helping those in need.

The trailer raises a good point - how do you buy your child $200 jeans when there are hungry people living on your street? Can you be a good person and be well off? It's subject matter to make you think, mixed with Holofcener's insightful humor. I'm also excited to see Amanda Peet and Rebecca Hall here, as the granddaughters of an elderly neighbor.

The film comes to theaters on April 30. Take a look and tell me your first impressions when you

Natalie, Alec and Ryan Lead the Way at Gotham's Indie Awards

Molly — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 05:00:00 PST

It was a celebration of movies and acting in NYC last night at the Gotham Independent Film Awards. Ryan Reynolds hit the red carpet solo looking dapper in his vest while Brooke Shields stood close to Rosie Perez and Alec Baldwin posed with Richard Kind. Alec recently said he would be retiring from acting in a couple of years, but first he's out to promote It's Complicated out this month. He also has a big award show to host this season when he and Steve Martin take on the Oscars together. Natalie Portman showed some skin - get her look here - before being honored during the show just days before her new film, Brothers, hits theaters.

The night's big winner was The Hurt Locker while Stanley Tucci was also one of the night's honorees along with Portman. Chris Rock came out to support his documentary Good Hair, though the prize went to Food, Inc. The night was full of laughs as Meryl Streep entertained, and Sam Rockwell made funny faces with Patricia Clarkson who took the podium. Award season is underway as we start to get an idea of what lies in store for the nominations and shows yet to come.

For more photos from the awards just

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Images include: Natalie Portman, Brooke Shields, Alec Baldwin, Chris Rock, Ryan Reynolds, Meryl Streep, Oliver Platt, Willem Dafoe, Patricia Clarkson, Bill Hader, Stanley Tucci, Rosie Perez, Sam Rockwell, Morgan Spurlock, Derick Martini, Malaak Compton, Jeremy Renner, Richard Kind

Michael Cera and Jack Black Start Off at Year One

PopSugar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:24:26 PDT

Michael Cera and Jack Black coordinated in purple accents for the premiere of Year One in NYC last night. Their costar Christopher Mintz-Plasse was lucky enough to have gorgeous Zoe Kravitz on his arm, who stood out in her glittery dress among all the funny men on the red carpet. Ed Helms also came out to show his support, and even though The Hangover will be getting some competition at the box office this weekend, he and the boys already have a sequel in the works.

More photos including David Cross and Amber Tamblyn, so just

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Images include: Jack Black, Michael Cera, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Zoe Kravitz, David Cross, Ed Helms, Horatio Sanz, Oliver Platt, Amber Tamblyn, Anthony LaPaglia

Getty and WireImage

Frost/Nixon: A Solid and Entertaining Talkathon

BuzzSugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 11:30:01 PST

Doubt and Frost/Nixon have a lot in common: Both are stage-to-screen adaptations, both are receiving a lot of awards buzz, and neither has a particularly compelling visual story to tell. Instead, the drama lies in the words people are saying. I've heard both of these movies referred to as "grown-up" cinema, which is probably apt given that it takes a pretty mature attention span to fully appreciate them.

All this might sound a bit boring but Frost/Nixon actually ends up being just the opposite. Playwright/screenwriter Peter Morgan is proving to be an expert at lifting the curtain on some of history's most intriguing leaders and applying his imagination to the factual outlines of their lives (he also wrote The Queen and The Last King of Scotland). To see why I think Morgan - with the help of director Ron Howard - has created another smart and absorbing movie,

Frost/Nixon revisits some familiar cinematic ground with Richard Nixon. The disgraced thirty-seventh President of the United States has come to symbolize so many things and is often regarded as a deeply flawed, morally-challenged, Machiavellian caricature of himself. That's fun stuff for dramatists! It's no wonder everyone from Oliver Stone to Gene Hackman has tackled the man. Heck, there's even a book called Nixon at the Movies. But Morgan, Howard and Co. tell a new story with this movie, a story of the president's post-resignation TV inquisition by the most unlikely journalist/TV personality.

Frost (played by Michael Sheen reprising his stage role) is the underdog in this scenario who will take numerous punches while interviewing President Nixon (Frank Langella, who also originated the role on stage). Langella's Nixon is giant and lumbering and doesn't bear all that much resemblance to the actual guy. The power of his performance lies in the way he conveys the complexities and emotions of a man who was practically kicked out of the White House.

Frost sets out to resuscitate his career by getting Nixon to sit down for a multi-session television interview with the metaphorical death blow being when he corners the president into giving the American people the confession of guilt he'd thus far avoided. Frost and his research team (played with humor and charm by Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt, and the super cute Matthew Macfadyen) come up against all kinds of obstacles in between each sit-down - including getting someone to pay for and air the interview. Meanwhile, Nixon's intellect and question-dodging abilities prove to be formidable, giving this talkfest most of its nail-biting moments.

In retrospect it's amazing that so much talking between two men about familiar events can lend itself to such a natural dramatic arc. This is a well-matched duel between two giant egos. Both are in it for something but only one can triumph. Nixon is a tough beast to slay, but just when you think Frost is down, you can bet (as is the case in most movies based on a match like this) the little guy will eventually rally. All in all, it's a smart movie that manages to get your adrenaline pumping with lots of words.

Photos courtesy of Universal Pictures

Movie Preview: Ron Howard's Frost/Nixon

BuzzSugar — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 05:45:47 PDT

"There's a reason they called him Tricky Dick."

The international trailer for the new Ron Howard movie, Frost/Nixon, has arrived and from what I can tell it looks pretty amazing. Based on the well-received play of the same title by Peter Morgan (the same man who wrote the script for The Queen), the movie chronicles the true story of a series of televised interviews Nixon gave to British journalist David Frost in 1977. Both lead actors in the movie played the same roles on the stage: Frank Langella as Nixon and Michael Sheen as Frost.

This is a really good trailer and I'm trying to figure out what's so gripping. Obviously the story is an interesting one but it doesn't look like it's presented in an overly simplistic way, and I get the sense that the shades of grey that defined this moment in time are handled with care. Also, the cast looks stellar. Langella appears to be pulling off Nixon just fine, Sheen already has me pinned to my seat, and then throw in Kevin Bacon, Sam Rockwell, Oliver Platt and Rebecca Hall and I'm sold.

If you want to learn more about the play, check out this interesting clip of The Charlie Rose show. The movie opens December 5 (hopefully) and to check out the trailer for yourself,

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