Monday, May 6, 2013

P.S. I Love You [M]


Holly and Gerry got married when they were both quite young and it seems that Holly is the only one of them that has grown up and needs plans for the future. Their marriage isn’t perfect, but they very deeply love each other. Then, disaster strikes when Gerry dies. Holly becomes a recluse: not showering in weeks, watching black and white movies, and not cleaning the apartment. But then on her 30th birthday she gets a letter from Gerry, the first in a year-long line. As each letter comes, they tell Holly to do things that will help her live her life without Gerry and re-discover the girl that he fell in love with in the first place. 

Oh why oh why did I watch this!? I’ve seen it before and it’s a great movie with a beautiful story, but it just reduces me to tears from go to whoa. I don’t cry as hard as I do in Edward Scissorhands mind you, but still this movie wrenches quite a few tears from me. It’s beautiful: original, wholly romantic, with loveable characters and great performances. 

Holly and Gerry got married when they were both quite young and it seems that Holly is the only one of them that has grown up and needs plans for the future. Their marriage isn’t perfect, but they very deeply love each other. Then, disaster strikes when Gerry dies. Holly becomes a recluse: not showering in weeks, watching black and white movies, and not cleaning the apartment. But then on her 30th birthday she gets a letter from Gerry, the first in a year-long line. As each letter comes, they tell Holly to do things that will help her live her life without Gerry and re-discover the girl that he fell in love with in the first place. 

Based on the novel by Cecelia Ahern, which I had read and loved, P.S. I Love You is one of the most lovely and romantic dramas that I’ve come across for a while. Not in the same league as Moulin Rouge! but this love story definitely has grounds within the company. The power of this movie comes in the form of the writing and the performances. As the romantic story of a loving husband speaking to his bereaved wife seemingly from beyond the grave has great strength from the off, the characters and thus the performances from the cast are the next ingredient that makes this movie so delicious. 
Hilary Swank stars as Holly and she’s beautiful. I think she’s quite an interesting casting choice because she’s such a strange sort of beauty. She’s gorgeous and cute and witty, but at the same time she’s a bit of a frump and it’s sometimes hard to see what makes her so special. But Hilary played the role incredibly well, particularly in a very poignant scene where’s she’s singing along (badly) to Judy Garland. You don’t know why, but you’re just compelled to keep your eyes on her from start to finish. 
Gerard Butler stars as Gerry and it’s impossible not to fall in love with him…actually I might just be saying that because I have a thing for the Irish (although Gerard is actually Scottish). He delivers a performance that is just perfect: witty, charming, charismatic, and when he’s intimate with Hilary you’re really wishing you were her…well I do anyway. Whenever I see Gerry and just exclaim, “I want one!” 
Starring Lisa Kudrow, Gina Gershon, Harry Connick Jr., Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Nellie McKay, James Masters, and Kathy Bates, P.S. I Love You is a beautiful movie filled with drama, romance, new life, and comedy, and you won’t go the entire duration with dry eyes. 

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