My girlfriend has this movie on Video and has hammered on at me to see it for some time. Last weekend I finally watched the shambles that is "Hope Springs." The Plot is fairly straight forward, English artist (Colin Firth) has his heart broken by his fiancée so goes to a small American town in the middle of no where to get over his pain. Once there he meets a care nurse of sorts (Heather Graham) and they begin to have feelings for one another. Then.... the ex turns up (Minnie Driver) and the "fireworks" begin.
To echo previous reviews, I think this film fails on every level. The story is so achingly simple that with the right actors and a sharp, witty script this could have been a hidden gem. However, it just plays like a movie that should have been shelved by the studio. Its that bad.
Colin Firth seems to still be "dining out" on the fact that he made an impression in the publics mind as Mr Darcy in the BBC version of Pride and prejudice in 1995. He keeps playing the same half arse bumbling Brit no matter what role he appears in. The audience is supposed to believe that Minnie Driver and Heather Graham are desperate to snag this man. Ridiculous. The afore mentioned ladies do a reasonable job with what they're given, Driver coming across as smolderingly sexy in a few scenes which stands out amongst the other very average performances.
Mary Steenburgen and Oliver Platt are absolutely wasted in their supporting roles which is criminal given that they would both have been capable of saving this mess with more to do. The editing is poor, certain plot points are introduced and left dangling without resolution and the continuity is puzzling. The events that unfold feel so stage managed and preposterous that you'll be left shaking your head in disbelief.
I wish I could find something positive to say about this film, but how can you praise a "romantic comedy" that neither tugs at your heart strings nor inspires laughter.
To echo previous reviews, I think this film fails on every level. The story is so achingly simple that with the right actors and a sharp, witty script this could have been a hidden gem. However, it just plays like a movie that should have been shelved by the studio. Its that bad.
Colin Firth seems to still be "dining out" on the fact that he made an impression in the publics mind as Mr Darcy in the BBC version of Pride and prejudice in 1995. He keeps playing the same half arse bumbling Brit no matter what role he appears in. The audience is supposed to believe that Minnie Driver and Heather Graham are desperate to snag this man. Ridiculous. The afore mentioned ladies do a reasonable job with what they're given, Driver coming across as smolderingly sexy in a few scenes which stands out amongst the other very average performances.
Mary Steenburgen and Oliver Platt are absolutely wasted in their supporting roles which is criminal given that they would both have been capable of saving this mess with more to do. The editing is poor, certain plot points are introduced and left dangling without resolution and the continuity is puzzling. The events that unfold feel so stage managed and preposterous that you'll be left shaking your head in disbelief.
I wish I could find something positive to say about this film, but how can you praise a "romantic comedy" that neither tugs at your heart strings nor inspires laughter.