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Bookmark this pageValentine's Day (2010)
Director: Garry Marshall
Movie review
From Time Out London
Anyone heading to the cinema this February 14 will find themselves conspicuously catered for by this romantic comedy from veteran Garry Marshall (‘Pretty Woman’, ‘Beaches’). Throwing out a net to everyone from back-row teenage saliva-swappers to seasoned seniors, the film feels like it has been coldly calculated to hoover up demographics. How? Marshall gives his rom-com the Robert Altman ‘Short Cuts’ treatment: an enormous megawatt ensemble cast appear in a dozen or so interlocking lurve stories that play out on Valentine’s Day in Los Angeles. It’s supremely efficient and utterly ruthless.There are 19 all-star names above the title (in alphabetical order, naturally) but the lead belongs to Ashton Kutcher. A nice-guy florist, he proposes to his work-addict girlfriend (Jessica Alba), but is obviously much better suited to his teacher best friend (Jennifer Garner). Jessica Biel (is it me, or are the Jessicas interchangeable?) plays a neurotically single sports publicist. Anne Hathaway, an office temp who moonlights as a phone sex operator (little nod to ‘Short Cuts’ there), hasn’t told her new boyfriend about the sideline. Shirley MacLaine, happily married for 50 years, is keeping an old secret from her husband. In what reeks of final-draft add-on, country star Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner from ‘The Twilight Saga’ pair up as school sweethearts: no actual storyline here, but they tick the pre-teen box big time.
These are sassily-scripted but glossy, vacuous fantasies – with the exception of Julia Roberts’s army captain, who’s on short leave from Iraq and meets a guy (Bradley Cooper) on a plane: after some sparky but non-committal flight banter they go their separate ways and both their tales resolve with unexpectedly lovely flourishes. Their stories make the rest of the film look like it’s got a cold, shiny cash register right where its heart should be.
Author: Cath Clarke
Time Out London Issue 2060: 11-17 February, 2009
User reviews of this film
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- Teamedward said...
- Posted on Aug 31 2011 00:17 This movie was the suxor...every scene Lautner showed up in made me want to puke.
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- teamjacob said...
- Posted on Mar 13 2010 15:52 this film is awesum! ive seen it twice taylor lautner is sooooooo gr8!
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- Kelly said...
- Posted on Feb 28 2010 19:58 Just a low-budget movie with a lot of stars without any substance! I would definitely wait and rent this when it's in the $.99 aisle in this economy!
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- Vicky said...
- Posted on Feb 28 2010 05:27 I enjoyed the movie. Contains a variety of relationships including all ages from childhood to senior. This movie had a feel good vibe to it and has a happy, fulfilling ending.
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- Barbara said...
- Posted on Feb 26 2010 22:52 How the hell did Colin Firth miss out in appearing in this crap? Do you think he consciously passed on it?
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- usman khawaja said...
- Posted on Feb 25 2010 01:54 HOW DID THEY GET ALLOWED TO MAKE A MOVIE CALLED VALENTINE DAY -LOLZ -this is the biggest triumph for the PR PUNTERS -everybody else was just making a joke and the joke is on the audience too
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- MooCow said...
- Posted on Feb 24 2010 00:35 Appaling. Nonsense plot, and despite trying so hard to be not-so-predictable, full full full of stereotypes. The movie was ridiculously boring and I truly regret paying to see such a childish piece of work. I should have followed my first instict and not chosen a movie with such an horrific title! Encompasses everything Valentine's day is, negativelly speaking. Truly horrendous.
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- Millie said...
- Posted on Feb 23 2010 20:44 Taylor Lautner is not attractive! His face is screwed up and his body scrawny. This is another case of girls being sheep-like and following eachother with blind observation-just like Hugh Grant and Colin Firth and Gerard Butler.
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- louise said...
- Posted on Feb 23 2010 20:41 great movie a bit soppy but overall a laugh and a fantastic movie to watch and taylor lautner is really hot.
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- zach said...
- Posted on Feb 21 2010 18:36 people should stop being jealous of taylor swift. taylor lautner did not do that much in that movie haha except for show off his muscles.
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- Alex said...
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Posted on Feb 21 2010 18:26
the movie had a good cast with many stars, but the story was quite awful.
just a bad version of "love actually"
there could have been so much potential but it was so undeveloped.
also some parts were forced. and the concept of "love" was conflicting at some parts of the movie.
a shame. haha - Report as inappropriate
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- martha s said...
- Posted on Feb 21 2010 17:44 I LUVED IT, TAYLOR LAUTNER WAS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOT AND I JUST THOUGHT IT WAS THE BEST MOVIE EVER SEEN:)
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- Jessica said...
- Posted on Feb 21 2010 16:57 I love this movie def. reccomened it!!!
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- bev said...
- Posted on Feb 21 2010 15:57 An appalling film; a poor mans "Love Actually", re-made very badly by an American who thinks he can better it's English counterpart. 0/10
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- Jay said...
- Posted on Feb 20 2010 21:04 Blah..Blah..blah...most of the girls that have been to watch this film are probably the same type of girls that read Heat magazine and cant wait to discuss it with there friends...Celebs...boring...same old crap just dragged through the papers ever day...anyway. This film revolves around the fantasy world of hollywood where peoples lives just aren't really..real...you break up with someone you feel attached enough to propose to...4 hours later shes leaving but hey ive got a business to run and thats life...oh well...I cant even be bothered to continue.. This film is ok if you fancy light hearted hollywood comedy with some romance but no attachment...not a tear in the house...unfortunately it was the girlfriends choice...still i enjoyed it in place but its nothing new...enjoyed the out takes better at the end of the film....overall a 2 star film
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Cast & crew
Director: Garry Marshall
Cast: Jessica Alba, Kathy Bates, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Hector Elizondo, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, Topher Grace, Anne Hathaway, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Taylor Lautner, Shirley MacLaine, Julia Roberts full cast
Genre(s): Romance
Rated: 12A
Duration: 124 mins
UK Release: Feb 12 2010
US Release: Feb 12 2010
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