Something Borrowed

First Hit: Although not profound in anyway, this was an enjoyable film.

Like her mother Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudson has a light airiness about her. However, unlike Goldie who was deeply and innocently about fun, Kate has an edge about her.

As Darcy, this edge comes across as privileged entitlement. Darcy and her lifelong friend Rachel (played by Ginnifer Goodwin) have shared all things together. However Rachel has been the thoughtful one while Darcy focuses on herself while relying on Rachel to be at her side no matter what. Darcy’s blond, smiling, and outgoing assertive personality allows her to get most any man and thing she wants.

Rachel is down to earth, smart, and basks in the outgoing nature of Darcy. In all the reflections of their growing up together Rachel was always giving up something to have Darcy shine. When Rachel, who thinks she is unworthy of the attention of Dex (played by Colin Egglesfield), lets Darcy swoops in and entices this handsome, unassertive, and clueless man away from her, Rachel makes it OK for her feelings to be ignored and hurt – because it's Darcy.

Darcy and Dex decide to get married but Rachel’s best male friend Ethan (played by John Krasinski), pushes Rachel to tell Darcy and Dex that Rachel is and has always been in love with Dex. However, as Hollywood stories go, this wasn’t enough because Ethan is also harboring his unrequited love for Rachel.

The point of the movie is that both Rachel and Dex have allowed themselves to be controlled or manipulated by Darcy because of her powerful and engaging personality. They both have to learn about setting boundaries and living their truth.

When the truth comes out that Dex and Rachel love each other and that Darcy is pregnant with someone else’s child, this film’s universe begins to take shape into the ending we expect to see.

Goodwin is great at these roles as the girl who is good looking enough to get attention but is outshined by someone else. Therefore she begins this film by settling for less than what her heart deserves, but by the end of the film she gets what we all knew she could get if she would have asserted herself. I hope she will grow out of these roles as she is quite talented. Hudson is really good as the good looking girl who deserves the best looking guy because she is fun and is the overtly beautiful life of any party she attends. Egglesfield was really good in the most difficult role on the screen. He had to make us believe he was smart but also easily manipulated by his parents and Darcy. It worked, I believed it. He was smart and dense at the same time. Krasinski was superb as the friend whose longing heart was rarely heard. Jennie Snyder wrote this thoughtful and, at times, witty screenplay. Luke Greenfield directed this film very evenhandedly while keeping the story interesting and comedy poignantly at hand.

Overall: This film was better than I thought it might be because of the good acting.

He's Just Not That Into You

First Hit: Overall, I really liked this film because it does tell a truth about relationships: If a guy doesn’t contact you, he’s not interested and the converse is true as well; a woman will let you know they are interested.

This film is loaded with big name female talent with Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Connelly, Scarlett Johansson, and Drew Barrymore. Outside of Ben Affleck, the men’s talent, which performed admirably, consisted of lesser known actors.

However, the primary vehicle of this film is Ginnifer Goodwin who plays Gigi an open, forever hopeful and radiant girl who is looking for love. She is charming, available, and maybe a little too ready to the men she meets. She sees the good side in each of them, lets them know she is interested but they just don’t call her back.

Her anxiousness around getting called is displayed in a number of scenes of her watching and checking (to see if it still works) her phone and they are truthfully funny. She is getting advice from her co-worker, a married woman, named Janine (Played by Connelly) whose marriage isn’t working well but hides it well under a matter of fact and busy life.

Gigi finally gets some good men’s coaching from Alex (played by Justin Long) who simply tells her what the signals are and helps her to see things more clearly. Johansson does a good funny and realistic turn as Anna, a woman who hopes the married man (Happens to be Janine’s husband) she met is going to leave his wife for her.

Aniston and Affleck (playing Beth and Neil respectively) do a good turn as a couple struggling with different ideals around the form of a committed relationship. Barrymore is funny and really good in a lesser role.

Goodwin was excellent in her role as a forever hopeful person reaching for and learning about relationships. All the other actors were good as well and the direction Ken Kwapis was very good as demonstrated by keeping this 2+ hour film moving along, and interesting. The biggest downside for me were the 4 or 5 breaks (like chapter headings) where the screen goes black and they there is a statement indicating what issue will be addressed next. The film didn’t need it and only disengaged me from the well thought out script.

Overall: I was surprised by how well this film flowed and the points about relationships it made.