Hey folks, Harry here with a pair of looks, by dudes, at the notoriously Barbie-looking world of SWEET HOME ALABAMA. Don't it just look so sweet? Remember when Meg Ryan made these movies? Now we have Reese... Don't you want to see Reese faking a massive orgasm while eating breakfast? What Romantic Comedy situations would you like to see Reese Witherspoon act out?
Hey Harry,
You're probably not that interested in this average romantic comedy, but I'd thought I'd throw in my 2 cents anyway.
I caught a free screening of "Sweet Home Alabama" tonight. The worst thing about this film is that they have some flash-in-the-pan pop bitch covering one of the all time great southern rock songs over the final credits. Her rendition is so uninspired that I can't remember much except that I immediately tuned her out after I heard her godawful version of "Wheels, wheels, keep on turning" I have no idea who she is, but this decision reeks of some bone-headed studio/marketing exec that figured they'd sell more soundtrack albums this way. I mean good grief this gross idiocy is more likely to offend southern audiences much more than the stereotypes ever would.
"Sweet Home Alabama" is by no means a great romantic comedy, no one is going to ever accuse it of cinema, but it is a fairly charming film, it's not a film I recommend to subhuman species such as talkbackers, or even to my friends (except as a okay date movie). But this is the sort of film that my mom will really get a kick out of, and my little sister too. And thats perfectly fine, I'm glad that there's this sort of film out there, my mom is a sucker for a sweet and predictable romance, why shouldn't they make one, she has every right to enjoy her type of movie as others do for their arthouse flicks and matrix sequels. And that's why this film will probably get a critical pan, because critics don't seem to recognize that right very often. There are things a person could get worked up about; there's an enormous amount of southern stereotypes, but in the long run they're harmless because they're played for laughs, and not superiority, and it's my ! experience that southerners enjoy laughing at themselves, so long as it's all in good fun and not mean-spirited. The film doesn't have any noticeable plot holes, in fact I was rather impressed that the script was quite tight, we're set up for the ending from the beginning, several little things that could go nowhere pay off by the films end. This is a light-hearted comedy, I didn't expect anything more, and I enjoyed myself, anyone with an open mind could probably do the same.
In fact, the worst stereotype isn't a southerner at all, it's the cookie cutter, pseudo-villianness, the future mother-in-law. But her character is fairly marginal, the other characters in the film don't take her seriously and the actress hams up the role, playing it for some great camp value.
It's a formulaic and predictable, but that doesn't mean it's not charming escapism, and there are few nices touches (Bobby Ray, the best friend), and the comedic timing is excellent, the audience really responded well to the film.
By no means is it terrible, but nobody outside of jr. high girls will be declaring it "like, the best film ever, like"
Just an average romantic comedy, pretty good date film, not that it probably matters to most readers of this site. Tell your mom to see it, she'll probably like it.
call me Hellstrom
And now for FabFunk... here ya go...
Harry!!!!
Just got back from a hellaciously estrogen-fueled advance screening of SWEET HOME ALABAMA, the new Reese Witherspoon romantic comedy. As far as chick flicks go, it may be a cut above, but that's not much of a recommendation. Although it was cringe inducing to be around so many suckered girls (who "awwed" and "aahhhed" at all the right places) I have to say as far a female audiences go, this was a real crowd pleaser. This could be a big hit.
Reese Witherspoon is Melanie, a self important fashion designer in "big bad" New York City. Her life is elegant, her co-workers appear to love her, as portrayed by some clumsy banter between her and others, and she is in love with the mayor's studly son. Or supposedly studly.
That is, in the film's biggest screw-up, he is played by Patrick Dempsey. Patrick FUCKING Dempsey. Patrick "Can't Buy Me Love" Dempsey. There is a scene where LOVERBOY is seen by one of Melanie's co-workers, and the girl fawns, saying, "Is there a single flaw in him?"
Yes, Satan has just put on a wintercoat.
Anyway, when he proposes marriage, she freaks. It is then when she realizes that she has some skeletons in her closet to clear up. As she heads back to her home in Alabama, the skeletons take the form of raffish Jake (Josh Lucas).
There's a reason Lucas has spent interviews for "Sweet Home Alabama" marveling at his next movie, "The Hulk". His Jake, Melanie's long gone husband, is such a one-dimensional character, the kind of charmingly sexy drunk country boy we've seen in millions of other films, the kind of role Dennis Quaid used to play in his sleep. However, his off-center smile and his baby blue eyes come off as an appealing mix of Owen Wilson and Hugh Jackman.
As Melanie grows frustrated with Jake's playful refusal to sign the divorce papers, she begins to refamiliarize herself with her own hometown, the one she had distanced herself away from for so long. As we see old friends for the first time, they are given sitcom-style chances to make impressions. As silly as they might be (another gay character in a studio film for a gay character's sake), the actors resist the urge to play the characters as stereotypes. Truth be told, as a view of the south, this film could have been very offensive and ridiculously unnecessary, but doesn't.
Director Andy Tennant, whose last theatrical film was the bloated "Anna and the King", appears to be more confortable with more intimate material like this. The film is nicely paced, and the atmospheric details of the south are pretty and eye catching.
As a star should, Witherspoon carries this somewhat lightweight material. Despite her adorability, she comes across many times as an unsympathetic character, and she appears more interested in creating a portrayl of an interesting, conflicted person than a likeable moppet.
"Sweet Home Alabama" fires along at a nice, brisk pace and, until its train wreck of an ending, manages to be a sometimes watchable romance, of Witherspoon and her leading men and of her and the South. If you are a male, you might want to spare yourself the misery, but if u REALLY HAVE TO see it, make sure to watch it with a female.
I have spoken, and my name is fabfunk.
