Today I indulged in one of my favorite activities: going to the cinema alone in the middle of the day. Not only does it still feel like I’m somehow skipping school, but I really enjoy not having anyone sit near me/chat throughout the movie/have their mobile ring/get ejected for throwing things, etc. And no, I’m not talking specifically about Larry. The only downside to these mid-day forays, however, is the lack of choice. Not many good movies come on before mid-afternoon so I usually have to take what I can get. Today I thought I got a good one when I chose P.S. I Love You.
P.S. It was awful.
Truly dire.
From the first ten seconds I knew it was going to be a problem. Why, oh why, out there in Hollywood do they insist on having people who are not Irish try to do Irish accents? I posted about this earlier and I think it has now become an official pet peeve. There are many smooth talking Irish men with cute accents, and yet the casting agents came up with Gerard Butler and Jeffrey Dean Morgan? And both of them were supposed to be from Enniskerry? No. Just no. (I wasn’t the only one who felt that way, either. One of the women in front of me let out a “Oh holy jeeeeeesus” when Gerry started talking. And not in a good way.)
Then the second problem became evident. The story itself was atrocious. Maybe if you had never read the book (cute little chick lit) you’d be okay with it, but I highly doubt that. The story was plodding and full of holes. Hello, they were married for 9 years and she’d never visited his family in Ireland? Sweetie, stop crying about it because that one really is on you. And not one single relative went to NYC for his funeral? No offence, but there’d be 50 chartering a plane if it meant they could get in some shopping as well. And his best friend didn’t put two and two together when a young widow who’d just lost her Irish husband turned up in his favourite pub? Sure, that’s plausible. If they were both, I don’t know, retarded or something. I buy all of that about as much as I buy the awful accents.
I hate to say it, but Colin Farrell could have done better. At least there would have been of a lot more to look at.
The book, while crap, took place in Ireland. THE WHOLE THING. The girl was Irish, the boy was Irish, all of the friends were Irish, yada yadda yadda. There was no USA in the story at all so all of those plot holes actually didn’t exist in the book because they were Irish, but, believe me, the book is no great shakes. I could live with those few hours back in my life.
I actually didn’t mind the book, and the film should definitely have stuck more closely to it! They do say “Based on the book…” at the beginning, but really it was more like “Sort of kind of drew on one of the ideas originally contained in…”
That said, maybe this one will keep all of her other works from being made into films!
I absolutely love Gerard Butler but when I saw the preview for this I thought ” What happened to his voice?” I know he has a scottish accent but sounded like a fool with the Irish accent. I agree better casting was in order.
Dawn – I’m the same way! If they had randomly set the whole thing in Scotland he would have been a perfect choice.
My favorite part of this post is that you used the word “retarded”.
I did think hard about that one, but I’m standing by it. It seems a plausible excuse.
I’ll bet you could have tolerated any accent if it came off Eric Bana’s tongue … yah ?
SED (The E-D part)
I refuse to discuss Eric’s tongue with my father.
HAHAHA!
Beth, although I’ve only met one half of them; but your parents ROCK
Sed for President.
Alan, I believe I’ve told you before not to encourage them. Tough love is often needed with SED.
Alan, I’m back in February. Waterford or the Bistro??
SED; why not both!?! Lunch in Bistro Dublin, and a field trip to Waterford!
There is much crystal to be oogled at here in the ford of H20!
ENCOURAGEMENT!!!!
Alan, your wish is my command!!
Go see Juno!
It made me laugh and required kleenex at the end. Really fabulous!
Alan, SED – I will seperate you two if I need to.
GL – I can’t wait for it to come over here!!
Beth; pipe down. SED and I are organising a field trip here.
Jeez!
I just can’t get over the fact that Gerard Butler went from 300 to PS I Love You. I kept wanting him to kick that chick in the chest and yell “THIS IS SPARTA!” in the beginning, but no such luck.
And make SURE you see Juno. It’s fantastic.
Alan – No need to get snitty!
Katie – Will do, definitely!!