Review: Love and Other Drugs with Anne Hathaway & Jake Gyllenhaal

(No spoiler review)

The movie Love and Other Drugs, got mixed reviews - it also recieved two Golden Globe nominations: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for Jake Gyllenhaal  & Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for Anne Hathaway. 

This movie could be classified as a quirky comedy, a love story/melodrama, a guy's flick with college fratboy humor, and a corporate commentary. {Note: Part of the movie is based on  the book "Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman" by author Jamie Reidy, himself a former Pfizer sales rep, }

This hodgepodge of thematic areas that the film covers does make it a bit uneven, but it is not confusing. The thing that reviewers call the `tone' of the movie shifts quite a bit. And like most `serious films' it tries to be emotionally manipulative. (It's success in that department depends on the viewer). There is plenty of nudity from the leads -(Hathaway's breast and Gyllenhaal's but) and both fit into the category John Lennon would call: "beautiful people."

The director Edward Zwick is  better known for his action movies movies that include `The Last Samurai (2003)', `Defiance',  `Blood Diamond', `Glory', and  `Legends Of The Fall'.

 From a technical perspective the filming itself is great. The story-line however seems chopped - as though there are obvious missing scenes. 

Personally I found the actors playing the secondary characters lacking. Oliver Platt, who plays Jamie's sales manager, for me was too boring. Josh Gad, who plays the Jamie's little brother was just wrong. Here, I mean, that the actor selection was ineffective - and changing those two actors could have greatly improved the film.

The basic synopsis of the movie is:  a smart guy who is the black sheep of a successful family becomes a pharmaceutical salesman (Gyllenhaal). His (first) product is the anti-depressant Zolof, and he is trying to break into a market dominated by Prozac. (This is historically accurate. And a certain `deepness' in the film begins - because the second drug in the anti-depressant game has less side effects. But the first drug has a strong foothold that is held by the practice of `bribing' doctors) . Using bribery himself (Gyllenhaal), has a chance meeting with Maggie (Hathaway).  After events, I won't spoil, they  `hook-up'. 

It is at this juncture that a moment (in my opinion) that this great movie dialogue comes:

Maggie Murdock: What's your game? 

Jamie Randall: My game? 

Maggie Murdock: Oh I'm sorry. Right. This is the part where we talk about where we come from and what we majored in in college. 

Jamie Randall: : You have beautiful eyes. 

Maggie Murdock: That's it? That's the best you got? 

Jamie Randall:  I'm serious. They're beautiful. 

Maggie Murdock: Let's go. 

Jamie Randall:  Excuse me? 

Maggie Murdock: You want to close right? You want to get laid? 

Jamie Randall:  Now? 

Maggie Murdock:: Oh right, right, right. I'm supposed to act like I don't know if it's right. So then you tell me that there is no right or wrong. It's just the moment. And then I tell you that I can't while actually signalling to you that I can, which you don't need because you're not really listening. Because this isn't about connection for you. This isn't even about sex for you. This is about finding an hour or two of relief from the pain of being you. And that's fine with me, see, because all I want is the exact same thing. 

I admit that I do not watch many so called comedies, chic flicks, or romance films.  I admit also to finding the line: "This is about finding an hour or two of relief from the pain of being you"; disturbingly right on- and one the reasons I watch films. 

If you are prone to contemplating `deeper meanings and connections' and `ying/yang opposition and interdependent correlatives' this film offers food for those type of thoughts, 

In conclusion - perfect or great  this film is not. Watch-able and intellectually `prodding' (as in "isn't it interesting that..") it is. 

I admit that I have never seen Broakback Mountain white Gyllenhaal and Hathaway. I admit also that I am biased by the fact that Gyllenhaal's early film `Donnie Darko' is a favorite.

In the end I give it thumbs up - 7/10 - Paul Grant (follower of Basho)

One reviewer wrote:  

"I get that a lot of people think this is just a super cheesy movie. I actually felt the same way when I first saw the trailer, and thought it was just another 'Friends With Benefits' or 'No Strings Attached'. Truth is that this movie does have a lot more going for it than just comedy or cheese. I actually cried in this movie, and was greatly amused by the jokes. The actors have chemistry, the dialogue is good. It was a good movie. Don't think this trailer shows the whole move. Trust me.... It actually doesn't."

TRAILER:

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