Hollywood hues
 Lacklustre fare

Marshall’s treatment of the stories in Valentine’s Day is patchy, disparate and
quite lacking in cumulative buildup, says Ervell E. Menezes

THE popularity of this special day of love has spawned any number of anecdotes associated with Cupid. The build up to it is tremendous with ad campaigns, promos, dances and what not only to keep young lovers involved. So why not a film on it too and Garry Marshall decided to do just that with Valentine’s Day. But if you think here’s a knight in shining armour riding a horse to propose to his lady love in Pretty Woman well, you’ll miss the mark by a long, long way.

The film is about different people who meet, mate and often fall apart before the sun sets on this special day
The film is about different people who meet, mate and often fall apart before the sun sets on this special day

Set in the romantic city of Los Angeles, this compendium of short takes covers enough ground and variety and the impressive star cast of Julia Roberts, Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Alba, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Garner and Patrick Dempsy could have done better. But Marshall’s treatment of the stories is patchy, disparate and quite lacking in cumulative build up. The result is 125 minutes of middling, lacklustre fare, which scarcely does justice to the weightage of the day.

Florist Ashton Kutcher is expecting to make a killing on this day, especially after he proposes to his partner Jessica Alba. Then cynical Jessica Biel is planning to celebrate the death of love in her life with a singleton party but surprise of surprises she finds Cupid’s arrow come straight at her from sports commentator Jamie Foxx. Jennifer Garner is planning to eventually face and confront her two-timing boyfriend Patrick Dempsy in another town. Yes, there are other anecdotes varying in length and intensity with the couples doing their best to keep the dying embers of love going Anne Hathaway must convince her small-town moralistic boy friend that there’s more to be explored in the domain of love And, of course, Julia Roberts but not of the Pretty Woman ilk.

So, it is about different people who meet, mate and often fall apart before the sun sets on this special day. There are a good deal of Americanisms thrown in, some, of course, needlessly bawdy, but many of them fall flat on the audiences. Guess, the comedy is too physical and could have done with some more depth and idealism. Also, there is a good deal of repetitiveness that could have been avoided if the stories were stretched out. Recommended only if one has nothing better to do.

HOME