"Valentine's Day" Movie Review (2010)

Movie Review (2010)

"Valentine's Day"

Directed by Garry Marshall, Written by Katherine Fugate, 125 minutes, Rated PG-13.

By our guest blogger, Rob Stammitti

There are so many A-list stars in "Valentine's Day." One has to wonder how such a collection of actors and actresses, young and old, was conceivably collected. The size of the cast, however, speaks very little for the quality of the film. In fact, it's almost as if the filmmakers had so little faith in their cliched and bland material that they thought filling it with recognizable people would somehow make it better. They weren't completely wrong, but this still isn't a very good film.

This ensemble film follows a countless supply of Los Angeles citizens throughout Valentine's Day. There's Holden (Bradley Cooper), who meets Kate (Julie Roberts), a US Army captain on leave for this special day. They chat on a plane as it approaches Los Angeles. Then there's professional florist Reed (Ashton Kutcher), who proposes to his girlfriend (Jessica Alba) in the morning and then has to go deal with the heavy business his flower shop is sure to get throughout the day; his co-worker and friend, Alphonso (George Lopez), is there to help. Reed's other friend, a teacher named Julia (Jennifer Garner), plans to fly to San Francisco to surprise her boyfriend, Harrison (Patrick Dempsey), but she's unaware he's married and she's his mistress.

Julia's young student Edison (Bryce Robinson) desperately tries to have flowers sent to his school crush, but things keep getting in the way. Edison's babysitter, Grace (Emma Roberts), is preparing to have sex with her boyfriend for the first time. Edison's grandparents, Edgar and Estelle (Hector Elizondo and Shirley MacLaine), deal with secrets that are just coming out 30 years into their marriage. Sports reporter Kevin Moore (Jamie Foxx) is forced to go about the town and interview people about their thoughts on Valentine's Day. One particular couple he interviews are Tyler and Felicia (Taylor Lautner and Taylor Swift), an ignorant but happy high school couple.

Then there's football star Sean Jackson (Eric Dane), who deals with his approaching retirement age with his publicist (Jessica Biel) and agent (Queen Latifah). And finally, there's receptionist Liz (Anne Hathaway) and her new boyfriend, Jason (Topher Grace), who doesn't know quite everything about her.

That doesn't even cover the vast supporting cast. The fact is, regardless of all of those names and faces and stories, there hardly is anything of note in this film. You'd think these actors would be hired to suit specific and diverse roles, but pretty much every character and story is the same, and you know where each story is heading every step of the way. Of course, most of the performers have that special charm that has got them where they are in Hollywood in the first place. Such is particularly obvious with the Bradley Cooper and Julia Robert's story, which works despite being cliche because of how great their performances are. And the ending of their particular plot is simply great.

Such can't be said for all of them. Most of the actors are just going through the motions, especially most of the female performers and also Foxx.  They're all reasonably talented people who seem stuck in a film they don't want to be in. Kutcher is another exception. Despite his weak track record since "That 70s Show," he always has been a rather likable guy, and his charm really comes in handy here, picking up the film in a lot of the draggier moments.

Most of all this film fails simply because it's attempting to cover so many stories, but none of them distinguish themselves and none of them say anything unique about love, relationships, friendship or anything. It's like a Valentine's Day card put on screen--it's vaguely quotable, sweet, occasionally clever--and totally vanilla.

Which basically means it'll make the perfect date movie for this Valentine's Day.

Grade: C-

View the trailer for "Valentine's Day" below. What are your thoughts?