Valentine’s Day Movie Review

For every Valentine’s Day, there’s not just one but several love stories narrating the course of both falling into and out of love on that fated romantic day. Set in Los Angeles, the film follows a story of more than a dozen characters created by Katherine Fugate with the help of scribes Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein. Directed by Garry Marshall, “Valentine’s Day” reminds viewers how love could mean differently for every person depending on the situation.

Suited perfectly to appeal to the upcoming annual love day, weekend moviegoers would surely flock theaters to catch the romantic vibe delivered by the starry cast. However this means that past opening weekend, in the succeeding weeks remaining of February, the film would meet an immediate demise from the lack of audience drawn in. The affair becomes short-lived as viewers soon learn it’s just another romantic comedy round the corner failing miserably in the entertainment and humor factor.

The storyline take audience into a ride of the different likely scenarios happening on the coveted 14^th of February such as a proposal, a break-up, a songwriter’s offering, a two-timing dude, phone sex, a young boy’s infatuation, a wedding, and an I Hate Valentine’s Day dinner. With Los Angeles as its backdrop, most of the romantic sequences involve the flower shop owned by romantic Reed Bennett (Ashton Kutcher)whose gearing up to propose to his girlfriend Morley (Jessica Alba). In his love affairs, he’s always accompanied by best friend Julia (Jennifer Garner) who’s now all too busy with the new man in her life, handsome two-timing heart surgeon Dr. Harrison Copeland (Patrick Dempsey). Fueled by his first infatuation, ten-year-old Edison, one of Julia’s students, heads over to the flower shop to seek for the perfect bouquet to offer his Valentine. Back home, his grandparents Estelle (Shirley MacLaine) and Edgar (Hector Elizondo), who’s happily married for 50 years now, find ways to still surprise each other for the day even after spending many years together.

Meanwhile, a high school couple (Emma Roberts and Carter Jenkins) plan to lose their virginity to each other on lunch hour as their classmates (Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner) prance around on the grounds. In an office nearby, a young secretary (Anne Hathaway) lives a secret life to earn extra money by providing “adult phone entertainment” in different accents. Soon, she meets her would-be boyfriend agent in training Josh Morris (Topher Grace) who isn’t too happy with her source of income.

Coming over to Los Angeles via an airplane, a young man (Bradley Cooper) finds interest in discovering the identity of the person his airplane seatmate, an army captain (Julia Roberts), has travelled halfway around to world to see even just for a day.

Though filled and pulled in by an A-list cast, it is quite noticeable how most of the actors and actresses exhibit comic overacting in their role portrayals. Beneath all these psycho are quieter, more believable, and moving performances most notably delivered by couple Julia Roberts and Bradley Cooper. Imbibing the life of the movie meanwhile is the ball of energy, happy-go-lucky character of Jennifer Garner. Most people would easily relate to her side of the story thanks to her amazing and realistic portrayal. Anne Hathaway also deserves praise for her genius performance as Liz.

“Valentine’s Day” serves well those seeking for an ode to love in all aspects. As sweet as candy, love struck couples and singles alike won’t be disappointed with the easy-to-relate and satisfying sequences.

Despite oozing gooey love affairs, it’s quite obvious that screenwriter Fugate had intense trouble trying t balance all the stars involved in the film. Though she attempted to make it work as much as she could, the dilemma was clearly evident all throughout from the poorly written dialogues. It had seemed she paid more attention to giving each actor and actress an acceptable time frame in the film rather than thinking their would-be lines over thoroughly.

Teenage audience would surely be drawn in by the team-up of the two Taylors, however they would soon be met with disappointment as the duo’s sequence in the film turns out to be one of its weak points. Directing Swift is a huge challenge as she messes the character and the sequence itself by jumping around, making faces, and jabbering on without limits. It would take a skilled director to tame her down and make good use of channeling her vibrant energy for good.

Mostly, Marshall keeps the pacing of the film brisk to accommodate all sequences in the short span of time. The outcome feels like a handful of inter-cut TV sitcoms desperately fused together to fit.