VALENTINE”S DAY 2.0 *** (but just barely)

Just check out the cast in the movie poster and as listed below. It gives the term 'star-studded' a new meaning. Imagine what kind of film you could make with all that talent. Well, Valentine's Day is not that film. Far from it in fact. Actually this “who's who” of a cast is a draw back in that it hampers any chance for real emotion or character development due to the need to share screen time among them all. When you start getting interested in a character you'll most likely not see him/her again for another 45 minutes, pretty annoying when there are so few likable characters in the first place.

What is perhaps the biggest disappointment is that despite a plethora (I like that word) of plots, subplots and sub-subplots – all intertwining somehow – there is very little originality and, even worse, it’s not very interesting or funny. Fluff and more fluff replace characterization and narrative development and the corny dialogue comes off as cutesy more than cute. It all goes back to the bloated cast: with over 20 stars that need their quota of jokes, sobs and happy endings filled, it's hugely difficult to find any real time to explore the unique intricacies of love and loss.


Very quickly, and don’t blink, here’s a rundown of the pairings with the main story being Jennifer Garner and Ashton Kutcher. A close second would be Anne Hathaway and Topher Grace. A slightly distant third is Jessica Biel and Jamie Foxx. Surrounding these is an assortment of minor stories, the more prominent of which comprises one senior couple (Hector Elizondo and Shirley MacLaine) and two junior couples (Emma Roberts with Carter Jenkins; and Taylor Swift with heartthrob werewolf Taylor Lautner). There is also the kid with a mysterious crush ( Bryce Robinson) and a gay couple that has only one scene of about 5 seconds together (won’t give this one away). Julia Roberts, Eric Dane, George Lopez and Jessica Alba are a little more than cameos (though not much more) while Kathy Bates, Queen Latifah and Patrick Dempsey are just that.

This movie with the “star studded” cast is pure exploitation in an obvious attempt to snare a huge audience which it did; and I would wager that a lot of the folks who saw it, liked it. And that’s okay… I just didn’t have that experience. It is obvious in many ways that the filmmakers tried to outdo the terrific British film, “Love Actually” and, in my opinion came up woefully short. So, if you haven’t seen it yet, save your money and rent or watch the far superior movie, “Love Actually” which is at the very top of my all-time favorite “Feel-Good” movies.

Clark