MOVIE REVIEW WELL, PUNCH ME SILLY James Bond and Nanny McPhee like youve never seen them before! By Marion Marking Am keeping this short because our reporter Kat Manapat loved the movie and insisted on reviewing it. If you like British comedy, youll like The Love Punch. If you are a Brit comedy aficionado, you will find it slightly watered down for the international audience. (The film was screened at the Toronto International Film Festival last year and was released as early as January in Europe, particularly France where the film is set.) Now, heres what I liked. Although it was a bit jarring to see 007 with liver spots, Pierce Brosnan has remained dapper despite his old age and his characters back troubles. It is also nice to see Mr Brosnan age gracefully without succumbing to Botox or airbrushed makeup. Brosnan has bowed out of his James Bond role gracefully, not latching onto it way into his doddering years as Roger Moore (the worst Jame Bonds ever!) did. It gives him the chance to make silly little films like this where he acts with all the charm and ease of Remington Steele. Emma Thompson, on the other hand, is splendid! She is a true Brit beauty and talent and can make even the most daft dialog (this film is contagious) sound funny. It is obvious that I adore the two leads. Now, heres what I disliked. First is the annoying Celia Imrie. Although adorable in Bridget Jones (as Una, Bridgets friend) her performance here grates on the senses. They should have gotten Alex Kingston (Lost in Austen) instead, who enders herself to the audience even in annoying roles. The writers appear to have fallen asleep on the job writing for the supporting cast. Even the usually engaging Timothy Spall (Enchanted, Harry Potter) falls victim to the most boring dialog ever written. What saves the film is Emma Thompson. She even saves Pierce Brosnan from himself! The director should be shot for making Brosnan ham it up too much. (Watch for the scene where Brosnan pokes fun at his 007 character. Clue: It has to do with a gun.) The direction felt manic but Brosnan, thankfully, is cool as a cucumber. Poor Brosnan has to contend with inconsistent writing and direction. I mean, a guy with chronic back pain, who can hardly swing a golf club, scrambles up an 80-degree cliff using only the barest harness? Whats funny about that scene is that the pot-bellied Tomothy Spall does it to! In fact, prepare to suspend disbelief all throughout the movie especially at the expected deus ex machina toward the end. Should you watch it? Yes. Watch it for Emma Thompson, Paris, and the beautiful French countryside. The Love Punch opens in theaters on April 19, Saturday. Check out more reviews and schedules of films hitting theaters this week in the April 14, Monday edition of BPO Hotjobs—free at trains stations and elsewhere in the metro!
Posted on: Wed, 09 Apr 2014 07:15:25 +0000
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