Hope Springs
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Movie Reviews of Hope Springs
Movie Review: Dull ... and Contrived Romantic Comedy with Colin Firth
Summary: 2 Stars
You may not know the original writer Charles Webb, or his book 'New Cardiff' on which this romantic comedy is based. Actually, he wrote the original book of 'The Graduate' which made one Dustin Hoffman many years ago. But the wit and irony found in the classic is not to be found here. It's just lamentably ... dull.
Dull is the word. Well, things happen, but not credible way. Talented (and often underrated) Colin Firth is artist Colin, Englishman flying from his home to a small New England town un USA, after the break-up with his long-standing girlfriend Vera. He rents a room in this quiet, sleeping town of Hope (with Oliver Platt at Town Hall), and starts drawing again.
And a new girl knocks on the door; Mandy (Heather Graham), a 'carer' who, with her all good intentions, tries to 'heal' him. Not bad for Colin, especially when she is winsome Heather Graham, even when she drinks a bottle of some brown liquid in car, and starts to act differently.
Then, as you know, ex-love Vera shows up again, to form a love-triangle in which Colin thinks he is trapped. (But when vera is Minnie Driver, how could he complain of that?)
I don't know why, but the film never loses the unnatural feeling. The characters are meant for laugh, or smile, but they never make me so. One example: in one scene, Colin hears someone knocking on the door. He thinks it's his new love Mandy, but of course, it's Vera. Then, to make us laugh (I think), Colin starts dancing behind the door before opening it like an exotic dancer! It's to suprise her, but well, we are surprised, in another meaning.
The film is full of this kind of contrived, ofren impossible events. The only natural acting comes from Mary Steenburgen's peeping and meddling Inn owner (with good intention). When you see TWO of the female characters in underwear to impress the characters's sexual appeal, you know something is wrong with the film, or its poor script. I'm talking about Heather and Minnie, and yes, I enjoyed it watching, I confess, but that's definitely not a way to create lively characters.
Movie Review: HOPE DOESN'T QUITE SPRING.....
Summary: 2 Stars
I am an unapologetic Colin fan (much to my husband's chagrin) but even I feel the need to apologize for this one. If you cannot wait for Love Actually or Girl w/a Pearl Earring(the DVD is gonna be cooler than the movie with the 'lost' scenes from the book that a lot of us "firth-ites" were looking for! but I digress!) you would be much better served by purchasing some of the lesser-known films of Firth! Go get Fever Pitch (order from amazon.canada to get the more tastefull cover) or A Month in the Country w/Ken Brannaugh (bonus!) or if you are intrepid, obtain an Hour of the Pig/Advocate (both titles are the same movie. Even the absurd fantastical Mike Binder film Londinium/Fourplay is better. The problem is the book is quirky and a great deal of changes were made from book to screenplay. Things get muddled and the principle explanation for why he chose America is lost. Plus, to make the town in to Hope they lost the New Cardiff-old Cardiff Vera connection that explains out a lot more of the ridiculous points.
Let's all hope that Richard Curtis does a better translation of BJ2 Edge of Reason...since missing from BJD was the whole rescue/Pride & Prejudice parallel with Darcy saving the family from disgrace. It would have been awesome! (Colin quite literally going around the world for you ending up with a chase where he's all unkempt and dishevelled....mmm) Anyways...
I own this disc and have watched more than once. It really is very fluffy and silly. But since my collection also incudes Master of the Moor and Apartment Zero, I'm going for the complete over quality thing. Bottom line is Colin is always awesome even when paired with Heather Graham.
To sum up: spend no money here...
Instead: BJD, Fever Pitch(highly recommend!), P&P (of course!), English Patient(why would she...???), Tumbledown, Nostromo, Valmont, Donovan Quick, Hour of the Pig/Advocate, or save up for Love Actually & Girl w/pearl earring! Also remember Trauma and BJ2 coming to theaters soon!
Movie Review: Colin-oscopy
Summary: 2 Stars
Another Colin Firth fan here to warn you away from this movie. This is one of the most cliched and predictable romantic comedies to come down the pike in quite a while. But it's worst than that: It fails to make us care one bit about the characters.It's not Firth's fault -- he squeezes what charm he can out of the material. Minnie Driver also does her best -- in fact, her funny, clipped delivery in this makes me yearn to see her do Noel Coward. And Heather Graham has a couple of hilarious moments, although it's hard to see the long-term appeal of her off-the-rails character to "Colin."
Oh, I see I'm making it sound better than it is. Trust me, it's skippable. Nothing makes sense in this movie, but the forced plot -- or what little there is of it -- exists only two get these two obviously incompatible characters together in the end. Instead of being happy for the characters, you cringe at the thought of their getting together. Can anything be a clearer sign of failure for a romantic comedy?
Movie Review: Bad bad bad movie
Summary: 2 Stars
Imagine you are trapped in the most boring day of your life, with Colin Firth and Minnie Driver and Heather Gram. This movie gives you a good idea what that day would be like. I got this because it looked good, but the story was pathetic. I couldn't under stand 1/2 the motivations for the characters. For instance, the night after meeting firth for the first time, Gram's character strips and jumps into bed with Firth. Um ok? Isn't Firth in Hope because of devistation over Driver? I guess men need only to go to the suburbs to find super easy women. Wow.
Firth's character, if you can call it that, is so boring I couldn't imagine what any girl would see never mind 2 of them fighting over him.
Stay clear of this clap trap.
Movie Review: Disappointing...
Summary: 2 Stars
"Work with what you've got" I guess was the mantra during this one. I really expected this to be better. (Colin Firth? Minnie Driver? Mary Steenburgen? Please.) It's never a good indication of "good" when I can stop a movie umpteen times and do whatever I just thought of because "now seems like a good time." What a shame. I wouldn't say this was a complete waste of time. It was interesting. Somewhat unbelievable, definitely, but interesting. And it got a little better as it went on. But not much. One very sweet 3 seconds and an actual moment warranting genuine laughter. I guess you can't expect everything to be stellar. This was quirky and a bit weird. But watch-able. If you're patient.