Someone Like You Review
by Tim Wick
You are going to find it a little strange that I am about to begin my review
of this movie by talking about the credits.
Thing is, after the obligatory Wynona Judd song (the star of the film,
Ashley Judd, is her sister), there is another song that you have to stay
for. I'm serious about this, it's the funniest thing in the movie. You
see, it's a duet. Of Tom Jones and the Cardigans. Singing Burning Down
the House.
Imagine it if you can. Tom Jones. The Cardigans. Burning Down the
House.
It's so awful that I couldn't stop laughing. I think I have to buy the
soundtrack.
Tom Jones. The Cardigans. Burning Down the House.
OK, now on to the movie.
The real question I know you are asking yourself is if the film is worth it
to get to Tom Jones and The Cardigans singing Burning Down the House.
Fortunately the answer is "yes."
Someone Like You had two strikes against it going in. First, it had the
same name as a Rod Stewart song, which is always a minus in my book.
Second, it starred Ashley Judd. I think I hold a little too much against
her after having seen the dismal Double Jeopardy. I mean the moronic
script wasn't her fault and she dealt with it pretty well. I still feel
dirty when watching anyone that had an even passing association with that
movie. Yes, even Tommy Lee Jones.
Besides, Judd is so gaunt it's unhealthy. I know the style in movies these
days is for Twiggy thin leads, but I guess I like women with a little more
mass. All I tend to be able to do when watching someone like Judd is to
think about how I really wish she'd eat something. Apparently the
filmmakers could relate, because she is eating in almost every scene of this
film.
On the plus side (and it's a big plus), the movie also starred Hugh Jackman.
I wanted to see what Jackman could do with a non-Wolverine role.
Well surprise surprise. Jackman is pretty good. So is Judd.
Let me caution you that this film is a romantic comedy. If you are looking
for mystery and an unhappy ending, you should be going to another movie.
Clearly that is what Owen Glieberman from Entertainment Weekly
wanted. He complains about the predictability of the plot and the
contrived romantic situations.
Well duh, Owen! This ain't no American Beauty! Heck, it's not even High
Fidelity. It's just a little romantic comedy about a guy and a girl who
take two hours to figure out they are right for each other. Of course what
should I expect from a guy who thought O Brother Where Art Thou was one of
last years worst films? OK, I've worked in the obligatory Entertainment
Weekly Slam.
The twist to this film is we spend half of the movie following an ill-fated
romance between Jane Goodale (Judd) and Ray Brown (Greg Kinnear). We've all
seen Kinear play the endearing cad before, so it's no surprise when he does
it here. We get to watch Jane fall in love and get her heart stomped on
before moving in with Eddie Alden (Jackman). Eddie is still dealing with
heartbreak of his own by sleeping with every woman he can find. They are
the perfect match, they just don't know it yet.
I have to admit that I was impressed with the amount of time the budding
relationship took. Typically films like this have our romantic couple
realize they are in love over a week or two. We get the feeling that they
took several months to turn their friendship into an infatuation. Because
the film doesn't rush this part, it feels less forced.
If anything, the only part of the movie that doesn't quite work is a
sub-plot involving a pet theory that Jane has about male behavior. Calling
it a sub-plot implies it has little to do with the eventual emotional pay
off. It has a lot to do with it, but it doesn't quite work. Whoever wrote
the script probably could have come up with a better way (the script is
based on the novel Animal Husbandry, so the sub-plot I'm complaining about
is probably also in the book).
Still, that's a minor quibble about a film that ultimately makes no
pretensions of being an Oscar contender. Instead, it's a simple little date
film that my wife and I had a good time watching.
And at the end, you get to hear Tom Jones. And the Cardigans. Singing
Burning Down the House.
Stay for it. Tell your friends. Tom Jones. The Cardigans. Burning Down
the House. I wonder why Owen didn't bring that up.
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