Valentine’s Day showcases spectacular cast, predictable story
Posted by The Skyliner on February 17th, 2010Kyra Alexander
Staff Writer
Didn’t have a date for Valentine’s Day? Some chose to go out with Jessica Alba, Bradley Cooper, Jessica Biel, Patrick Dempsey, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Garner and more this weekend . . . at the box office.
Valentine’s Day is not a national holiday, but it is a day to be celebrated. “Special someones” expect to receive romantic gifts from their sweethearts. Commercialism has put a tremendous amount of pressure on men to give their significant others a romantic day with all the trimmings. Women are under pressure to have a man to keep them from feeling desperate and unloved.
Valentine’s Day follows the lives of several couples during this particular day. Their stories are told through the connections they have with each other. Some find romance in their relationships and others go through heartbreak. In this Russian roulette world of finding love, everyone in the film is asking for advice on how to find and keep true love.
The movie was the ordinary romantic comedy and had some fairy tale endings, but could have done without the superfluous sexual content.
The intertwining accounts include the love story of a florist (played by Ashton Kutcher) who has proposed to his girlfriend (played by Jessica Alba). She reluctantly says yes. At the same time, the florist’s best friend (Jennifer Garner) is having an affair with a man she doesn’t realize is married. The florist knows, however, because the man sends out bouquets to both women from his flower shop.
Meanwhile, a soldier (Julia Roberts) is on her way home from Iraq. She strikes up camaraderie with a fellow passenger (Bradley Cooper). Another love story is heating up between a mail room man (Topher Grace) and a secretary (Anne Hathaway) who has to keep excusing herself because of her other work.
To be demographically safe, the film also includes some boy-girl friendship and a narrative about an elderly married couple in which the wife, played by Shirley Maclaine, tells her husband about an affair she had many years ago.
The A-list keeps going with this famous cast, also including Emma Roberts, Queen Latifah, Taylor Lautner and Taylor Swift. According to Hollywood Insider, the website of Entertainment Weekly, “The all-star film grossed an estimated $52.4 million over three days and is likely to top $60 million by the time the President’s Day holiday weekend is over.”
All in all it may be a fun movie to see with the girlfriends, but is not recommended for anyone under the age of seventeen
Rated PG-13 for some sexual material and brief partial nudity.
Tags: Spring 2010, Vol. 110 - Issue 4