Directed by:
Tom VaughanScreenplay:
Matthew NewmanCinematography:
David TattersallComposer:
Stephen EndelmanCast:
Jessica Alba, Salma Hayek, Pierce Brosnan, Ben McKenzie, Malcolm McDowell, Duncan Joiner, Marlee Matlin, Ivan Sergei, Juliet Mills, Fred Melamed (more)Plots(1)
By day, Richard Haig (Pierce Brosnan), is a well-respected professor at Trinity College in Cambridge, where he teaches 18th century romantic poetry. By night, Richard indulges his own romantic fantasies with a steady stream of beautiful undergraduates, including his most recent beau Kate (Jessica Alba). But when Kate tells him that she is pregnant the confirmed bachelor has mixed feelings as he's just met, and fallen for, her gorgeously sassy sister Olivia (Salma Hayek).
Richard and Kate move to Malibu to raise their son Jake and Olivia returns to New York. Richard is devoted to his son and the few two years on the Pacific are idyllic. But professionally he has stalled and Kate has been distant, so Richard is a little hurt but not surprised when Kate confesses she has fallen in love with a younger man, Brian (Ben McKenzie). Richard wants to stay in the U.S. for Jake, but also to be with Olivia who has moved in, along with his father Gordon (Malcolm McDowell), who convinces Richard not to give up and do whatever it takes to hold his family together.
(Arrow Films)
Reviews (5)
It’s nice that Pierce Brosnan has started out with these romantic comedies by the end with his Bond career and that he has a fair number of beautiful women around him. Here, it’s Jessica Alba and Salma Hayek, who at least gave the movie a bit of charm. Otherwise, it was a slice of one professor’s life. He goes there, does that. He moves from point A to point B. He gets a beer and hooks up with someone. In the morning, he wakes up, goes to teach and it starts all over again. Practically zero story, just an amalgamation of scenes and pretty actresses.
()
Exactly the same summer ride as in After the Sunset, only 12 years later with a more grizzled Pierce Brosnan, who is still very charismatic, and an ageless Salma Hayek, who leaves the 15 years younger Jessica Alba biting the dust. Instead of a heist comedy, what we have here is a lament about the life of a perpetual philanderer, which is actually fine at its core. Occasionally funny, but mostly absurdly far-fetched with zero plot build-up. A few sunny shots don't save it.
()
It's neither ground-breaking nor exceptional, rather a very traditional romantic spectacle that unfortunately isn't very funny and could have done with a little extra cheekiness. However, Salma Hayek and Pierce Brosnan are fun to watch, and Jessica Alba should play angry women more often, because it's much more interesting than beaming smiles and hilarious fawning (as in the opening of the film).
()
As a romantic movie, it's quite terrible, but there are such interesting actors here who can captivate me just with their presence, that I found at least some enjoyment in it. Malcolm McDowell is a long-time favorite of mine, and Pierce too, since he passed on Bond to Daniel Craig. But still, the biggest win here is Salma, who is still incredibly sexy and gorgeous.
()
The story is not very functional because it is pretty much predictable and bland. There is definitely no humor here. The most interesting aspect of this film is the stellar cast, but they have virtually nothing to do. Gentlemen can enjoy the sight of Jessica Alba or Salma Hayek, and I have no choice but to appreciate the rather shabby Pierce Brosnan. The logical conclusion of all this is that I'm not very excited. (45%)
()
Ads