This is not a bad film. Let me start by stating that. It is also not a great film. Like all films involving Jennifer Love Hewitt most viewers are going to rate this picture entirely upon his or her opinion of the young actress. For reason I have never entirely understood, this brunette seems polarizing to people.
The film clearly is a vehicle for the actress. But it is not her performance that drives the picture. This is a genuinely intelligent film about sex, fidelity, and the strange way that love itself often gets lost in people's best efforts to supposedly find love.
Jennifer Love Hewitt plays Alice Holbrook, a young nurse who discovers that her husband is either cheating on her or is attempting to play games with her in order to spice up their sex life. Desperate for a change, and eager to believe the best about her husband, Hewitt engages in several attempts to learn the truth, and to entice her husband further.
Like a bad episode of Three's Company, this film uses every trick in the book to keep all of its characters colliding in silly scenarios. Hewitt disguises herself, her voice, people mistake each others cell phones, etc. All of this wears thin. Yet, the innocence of Hewitt's character keeps the viewer in a forgiving mood.
The cheap, predictable, and goofy plot twists are not executed in the film very well at all. There is a strange side plot involving the trial of a soccer player that makes no sense.
The comedy part of this rom-com is lacking. This is why the film does not approach greatness.
But apart from the antics, this film has its moments. The dilemma that Alice faces is all too real for young girls. And her attempt to keep her cheating husband at the cost of her own pride is also true to form. Most women, when faced with keeping a broken love or their own pride, choose broken love. At least for awhile.
Of course, Jennifer Love Hewitt plays dress up for both Alice's husband as well as for her male fans. No actress does both "goody goody" and "sexy sexy" like Jennifer Love Hewitt. The film teases, seems to promise more, then simply teases.
What redeems the film is its uplifting message about love and hope, while contrarily pulling no punches with its assessment about human nature. It is a refreshing thing to find a film that is daring enough to be honest, and also not too arrogant to shy away from optimism. Men are sex crazed pigs. Women do dumb things to save relationships best left behind. People make mistakes. And yet, things still work out.
Now back to our polarizing actress. This is one of several movies, and now a television show as well with Ghost Whisperer, that Hewitt has made which intentionally works to show a moral and hopeful perspective about the world. I don't want to give too much credit to the young girl- but why not?- I am deeply impressed with her consciousness choices of work.
