Rating: 6/10
US Certificate: PG UK Certificate: PG
Just like the Candyman can take a sunrise and sprinkle it with dew, so can Amy Adams take a mediocre romantic comedy thats been done a billion times before and infuse it with the sweet and inexplicable charm thats followed her through a variety of films like Doubt, Talladega Nights, and Enchanted. In the scheme of romantic comedies that have come about in the last few years, this one was probably one of the lesser known and lesser hyped, so maybe thats what made it a little better than some of those others. Not that there was any variance in the pattern of the girl who thinks she wants one thing and is soon introduced to a whole new thing and they end up staying overnight somewhere and real love ensues, but sometimes, its OK to just watch a pleasant movie and think the scenery is pretty.
Tired of waiting for her clueless cardiologist boyfriend (Jake Scott) to pop the question, Anna Brady (Adams) has decided to take advantage of an Irish tradition that encourages women to propose to their men on Leap Year and surprise him with a proposal. Fate and the weather have other plans, though, and Anna winds up on a road trip adventure with Declan (Mathew Goode), an Irish innkeeper and bartender charged with getting her to Dublin in time for her big day that may change her perspective.
Of course, cue romance. Cue the fighting and the contrivances that keep Anna and Declan from arriving at their destination while forcing them to spend a night together in one bed, where they will, of course, realize what weve known since the poster. Cue the inevitable minor conflict, the moment where our heroine has an epiphany and sees the sky light up with love fireworks, and the declarations of adoration. Weve all been to this movie before, and its no longer a question of what will happen, its all about the getting there and the people who are driving the bus. Luckily, Amy Adams is a terrific driver, so it has that going for it. Not much else, mind youeven Goode as the new object of Annas affection takes some getting used to, and it seems an odd choice to cast John Lithgow as Annas irresponsible dad and only use him for about five minutesbut at least Gerard Butler wasnt cast as Declan (since he seems to be the choice for inane rom coms these days), so it had a chance. Good for a rental if youre in the mood for a sweet little bit of Irish romance that isnt going to make you think.
It's Got: Amy Adams, Irish scenery, Old-fashioned charm
It Needs: More originality, Maybe a different male lead, Better Lithgow use
DVD Extras Deleted Scenes DVD Extras Rating: 2/10
Summary
Nothing new to see here, but as romantic comedies go, its not that bad, and Amy Adams is always worth watching.