This movie failed in my opinion on all fronts. Neither of the main characters played by Amy Adams and Matthew Goode were inherently likeable, and neither actor gave their performance any kind of specialness or individuality to differentiate them from other romantic comedy characters. It is a retread of a theme done before--a woman is engaged to be married, has mishaps with another man who appears to be against her type, but ends up falling for him and seeing how her fiance is totally wrong for her.
Amy Adams' character Anna Brady was a version of the shallow and ugly American, whereas Matthew Goode's Declan O'Callaghan (can his name BE more Irish?) was the misogynistic foreigner. She's the type that butts her way up a queue, and expects money will get her way. If it weren't for his need to keep his country pub a going concern, he wouldn't bother to take her money to get her to Dublin. But despite all the setbacks never did she get her Irish up (Adams' chipper attitude which we've seen in many roles) nor did he kick her in the pants like she deserved, there was no real conflict, no real drama, no real romance. Nothing was grounded with any realness.
I was thinking about some of Adams' recent roles (Julie and Julia, Sunshine Cleaning, The Muppets) and I feel she has been playing a similar type--she's a woman who wants people to like her and wants what other people have, despite those things sometimes being superficial, but ultimately she doesn't know what the heck she wants. This persona negatively continues to feed this image to the sorts of women who like this type of film (and continue to star in them). Plus, these characters alway have a fantasy job (dressing houses beautifully so they will sell--hmm, kind of a metaphor for my opinion of the movie) and a fantasy boyfriend (in this case a doctor).
Here Adams trades on her pretty looks again and again, tilting her head or talking in that lilting voice, with a costume change for every new location. Goode's performance is not as distinguishable, I don't think he carries much Irishness or rogue-ishness and I read somewhere he took this role in order to visit his home country.
The premise of a woman proposing to her sweetheart on Leap Year day was just that, a premise to kickstart the movie but has nothing to do with their relationship. She is a Bridezilla in the making who has to have everything magical and special and perfect. Adam Scott as the fiance should feel lucky she spurned him. John Lithgow as the dad is on camera for like two minutes, if you've seen the trailer, then you've seen his entire part. How do I get THAT job.
This film didn't TRY in any way to be anything except middle of the road where all the cowpats end up--and no, the Irish countryside did not even distract me this time. There were too many closeups of the stars, a few nice glamourous one-shots of the scenery, but it was all too stylized and manufactured looking; every location was too manicured and thus there really was no Irishness at all, they didn't even add some funny old recognizable Irish actor to give it humor or character. Situations were telegraphed and expected, there was nothing new in the jokes nor the plot. Another review compared this to I Know Where I'm Going, an old movie with Wendy Hiller with a similar plot. That film, from 55 years ago (it takes place in Scotland) is fresher, sweeter and realer than this pile of formulaic movie poop.
I don't know why the studio bothered spending all that money, or even, gasp, bother writing an ENDING to this film. It is apparent they were hoping Amy Adams would be the draw as there is little else that is bankable in the film. Did anyone in the audience expect it would turn out otherwise? They must have because they were laughing like the jokes were new, aww-ing like it was a surprise when the couple kissed and clapping when they finally got together. Ugh.
I overheard someone say Roger Ebert was in this preview audience (I watched this some time ago). I don't know if that was true, but if so, at least he got paid for a hundred minutes of his time. I wouldn't watch this again if they paid me. Someone let me be part of a market test audience. I will gladly give you my two cents and say, "Stop making movies like this!"
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