a lot like good

Some weeks ago, I was able to catch the movie "A lot like love" in my ample free time. It was showing on TBS, and being one of 5 television channels that I regularly watch, I felt some sort of magnetic draw towards it. In reality, I had already seen this movie on a flight from Amsterdam to Boston, I believe. However, I am not one to watch movies only once and proceeded to make a nice burrow in my futon so that I could enjoy this film once again.

Now, I realize that upon an initial judgement of this film, most people would be turned away by the simple reading of Ashton Kutcher's name. I urge you to ignore this slight infraction and proceed with confidence. Why is this movie so good? In my last post, I clearly expressed my frustration with female characters and portrayals of relationships in general in movies. (I don't like to use the word "films" because it is far too pretentious) This is one film that I think does it right.

First of all, this movie doesn't have grand expectations of its characters from the beginning. You are able to see them fail and succeed, find and lose passions, and fall in and out of love with other people. Amanda Peet's character is an actress turned photographer and Kutcher is a young Internet entrepreneur who learns some hard realities about the Internet. They meet each other on and off over a period of 3 or 4 years, acknowledge the complicatedness of their relationship and realize that their realities do not always allow them to be together. The reality that they live in is actually reality.

Secondly, I for once can believe that these people like, maybe even NEED, each other. Now, Amanda Peet easily out-acts Kutcher and is considerably more likeable. She's pretty much good enough to cover the both of them. She is the perfectly controlled free-spirit woman, the kind that I can believe actually exists. Kutcher, does well as a shy guy, borderline dull, but it's clear he is looking for something, as we all are.

Lastly, this movie is so well paced, controlled, and crafted, I never felt a moment of eye-rolling-ness. What sets it apart from other romantic "comedies" is that it allows you to like the characters on your own; they are not injected with unreasonable character traits that FORCE you to like them. Also, it doens't follow a strict 3-act structure, but whose life does? The pacing makes it more believable, which I think is especially important in films about the evolution of a relationship. It's very clear that sometimes life isn't how you imagined, but that's life.

If I had a daughter, I would take Amanda Peet's "Emily" over Kristen Stewart's "Bella" any day.