They say easter break is a good time to catch up on new movies at the movie theatre. I’ve been to two new films this week, coincidentally they were both romantic comedies; Confessions of a Shopaholic and Marley & Me.
Isla Fisher as Rebecca Bloomwood
The Shopaholic movie is based on a series of books written by Sophie Kinsella. I’ve been a fan of these books since the first of the five (The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic) came out in the year 2000. Luckily I knew before going to see this film that it was only loosely based on the novels, and that fans of the books all over the world do not think very highly of the film in comparison with the books. My expectations were pretty low, to say the least.
Perhaps that is why I was so positively surprised by this movie. Ok, it was nothing like the books. In fact one can wonder if the person adapting this into a movie has even read the books or simply skimmed them, noted a few character names and build up an entirely new story – but still, the movie itself isn’t bad. Isla Fisher is a sweet and funny Rebecca Blomwood, and John Goodman and Joan Cusack are hillarious as her parents (allthough, Joan Cusack as the mother of a twenty-something-year old? What’s that about?). The story is nothing special, but it’s funny enough to keep you entertained for the nealy two hours that the film lasts. Also, it gives me a good feeling to see someone who’s even less careful with her money than I am;)
Aniston and Wilson in "Marley and Me"
I didn’t have high expectations as I went to see Marley & Me either. The trailer makes this seem like a typical Hollywood-let’s-make-some-money-by-putting-famous-actors-into-a-romantic-comedy-and-have-them-do-crazy-stuff kind of film, kinda like What Happens In Vegas and Along Came Polly. You see Marley the dog hanging out a car window, his owners (played by Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston) holding him by his back feet trying to keep him from running away, you see Marley pulling a restaurant table after him by his leash while people are chasing him down the street, and you see Marley trying to hump his teacher in Obediance School…
This movie is more than that. It’s the story of a family, two people trying to make things work with jobs and houses and kids and a crazy dog who keeps eating pieces of their couch but who has a heart of gold. The story is actually based on an autobiography by the american journalist John Grogan,who wrote a book about his dog and how it changed his and his family’s life.
This story is told in a much more down-to-earth, eventless way than most Hollywood comedies. It tells us what happened to a family over a period of about 15 years, and that’s it. This is the story’s strenght, but also it’s drawback. Sure, it’s all very nice and cozy and touching at times, but at other times it’s actually not that interessting, I mean, who cares if Marley is spilling dogfood all over the floor for the umpteenth time, we’ve seen that already! Also it seems that we’re supposed to be very touched by how cute the children are and how strong their devotion to their dog is, but they’re not on screen that much before all the sad stuff occurs, so it’s a bit hard to relate to them. Even so I’m glad I went to see the movie, it was a perfectly ok way to spend an otherwise dull thursday evening.
My conclusion is that the lower the expectations one has when going to see a movie, the more pleasantly surprised one is likely to be.
Have a nice easter, everyone!
Eg har litt lyst til å sjå den der shopoholiker-filmen, men det er mest på grunn av at eg hugsar Isla Fisher veldig godt som Shannon frå Home and Away i 1997
Men den virkar jo søt og underhaldande òg 
Trur forresten du har rett ang. forventingane ein har til filmen. Eller til alle andre ting, for den saks skuld 