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A Life Less Ordinary

A Life Less Ordinary

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: What Should Have Been Expected
Review: Imagine attempting to expand/extrapolate the absolutely trite monologue that opens TRAINSPOTTING into anything other than a glossy picaresque punk romp. Impocerous! There's nothing in/to Boyle, yet, & may never be. Who can say? Diaz IS lovely/charming here, & the attempt is generally sweet, well-meant, but the script is atrocious, sophomoric. A sort of meta-Coens movie minus the brothers' wordy dazzle & deep love for & knowledge of the history of movies. Unfortunate, but there will be more of this sort of thing?

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A strange, delicious delight!
Review: I just saw this movie for the first time tonight, and I would highly recommend it to anybody who enjoys quirky, strange films in the vein of "Pulp Fiction," "Raising Arizona," "Home Fries," "Dogma," "Run, Lola, Run" "Nurse Betty" and "Drowning Mona." It is a delicious and dark black comedy that is definitely not for all tastes, but for those special people with the right sense of humor, it is a real treat. The plot is completely original and insane, with traces of Frank Capra. It is basically about a pair of angels who, in order to be allowed back in heaven, must get a kidnapper and his victim to fall in love. Sound strange? Well, it definitely is. It is also by turns weird, bizarre, hilarious, disturbing, and just plain fun. Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz light up the screen and have amazing chemistry. For fans of either of these actors, this movie cannot be missed. There is also some quirky casting with the angels, who are played by Holly Hunter and Delroy Lindo. The question the viewer ponders throughout the film are "Are the angels good or bad?" I think they're misguided, personally. But you watch the film and decide for yourself! And don't turn off the film once the credits start...It has one of the strangest, funniest and coolest endings I've seen in any film, that happens during the ending credits. P.S. If you're squeamish, there's one scene you might wanna hide your eyes concerning a bullet removal from a leg. Other than that, it's totally watchable.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Strange...
Review: What a weird weird movie. The chemistry between Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz really works, but the movie's plot line is just horrid. It's pointless and I couldn't keep myself glued to the t.v. for however long this movie is. I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone, unless they don't have something better to do.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: I was surprised but I liked it
Review: When the movie started I was ok what did I just rent but after the whole angel thing..it was actually good. I thought Cameron Diaz did a great job in this film. I have never seen that Edwin guy in any films and he is just as good. I loved the way they interacted together. Holly Hunter also did a great job being a "bad" angel while she was on the earth. Get this movie you will not be disappointed.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Danny Boyle v. Frank Capra?
Review: In the style of wacky runaway heiress or road buddies on the lam films a la Frank Capra, A Life Less Ordinary is a dark comedy that stretches the definition of funny. Director Danny Boyle's previous hits, e.g. Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, were morality tales with wit and style that defined the British cinema of the 90s. ALLO is not up to either wit or style in a rambling odd story of frustrated love. Ewan McGregor, an actor who is lively and dynamic in his two previous Boyle pictures never seems to find his character as Robert, a nebbish Scottish janitor in Salt Lake City, Utah who goes ballistic when he is fired and replaced by a bad R2D2 imitation. Camerion Diaz is lovely in the role of a spoiled brat kidnapped by Robert, but the chemistry between the two actors never heats up the screen. Wacky heiress Celine can't sing or dance while the kidnapper sings and dances rings around her. Charming Robert can't threaten or write a convincing ransom letter, but Celine is so condesending and chrulish toward him that sympathy transfers to the kidnapper instead of the victim. Adding to the muddle are two bumbling angels (Holly Hunter and Delroy Lindo) whose divine task is to assure the mismatched pair fall in love. It is a subplot that distracts rather than adds to the story. If the plot sounds confused it is because Boyle never seems to make up his mind what the kind of film he wants to direct. The stellar cast attempt to save their roles but are handicapped by a screenplay that never quite follows a recognizable genre. The American film debut of director Boyle and producer Andrew MacDonald flounders under so many problems that ALLO is comedic, but it is a comedy of error, misdirection, and ambiguity that fails to entertain.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Movie for Dreamers...
Review: This is one of my favorite movies, but it is definitely not for everyone. You must be extremely forgiving of the strange plot involving evil and violent angels. I think that the idea is that the angels don't understand human beings or love, and therefore rely on "jeopardy" to force Celine and Robert to fall in love, but I could well be wrong.

However, the chemistry between Ewan and Cameron makes the movie. From a great scene in which the inept kidnapper tries to make his ransom demand from a telephone booth while his victim offers him encouragement and tips on how to sound more menacing, to an unforgettable karaoke number, A Life Less Ordinary delivers a quirky romance for those who are tired of trite recycled plots. To quote Robert, "We agreed--no cliches."

As a side note to Ewan McGregor fans, you MUST see this movie. It is definitely one of Ewan's best performances, and a nice break from his darker films.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Hilarious
Review: I think Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz give a spectacular performance, the script was hilarious, I think the movie was one of the best i have seen so far! The part where they sing 'Beyond the Sea'was really good. I rented it for a week, and couldn't stop watching. I don't see why the critics gave such a bad review, it was an exellent movie, with Cameron Diaz having to teach Ewan McGregor everything about a kidnap, while she's the victim. I loved this movie, and suggest you to watch it!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A great romantic comedy
Review: This is for all of you who like romantic comedies, but don't like all the raunchyness of today's romantic comedies. It's not like your "Sleepless in Seattle." This has a major twist to it. Two angels (Delroy Lindo, Holly Hunter) must match up Ewan McGrager and Cameron Diaz or else they'll get kicked out of Heaven. The problem is Ewan just kidnapped Cameron...soooo this kind of makes it a problem. Very funny, very sweet, and very romantic. Also stars Stanely Tucci, Tony Shalloub, Ian Holm and Dan Haydaya as St. Gabriel.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: CRIMINALLY SLANDERED
Review: I only just missed this movie when it came out at cinemas - partly because I hadn't heard much about it - partly because of the short time it had on screen. Since then, it dropped from my mind. Until today. I noticed it at the video store, and hired it as part of a package deal. It was much better than the high budget comedy I hired (Wild Wild West). Diaz must be amongst the world's best actors. I say this from a purely non-sexual point of view. You MUST SEE this movie, and now it's on the weekly shelves, it costs next to nothing.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Boyle salutes Capra
Review: While I really enjoyed Danny Boyles two previous films, I found Life Less Ordinary to be a great step towards breaking new ground. Boyle doged directing Alien 4 to participate in this project, and after seeing it I'm glad he did. It's roughly the same premise as It's a wonderful life, Angels need to set mortals straight, the execution however bends the rules and twists the story in ways that any viewer capable of higher brain functions and sick of any indie film getting by on four people in a car goes somewhere where someone gets killed will love the whole higher pwers, dark comedy, true love is never perfect humm this film has. Everyone is great, Ian holm and Stanley Tucci make great villans and Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz are so over the top that the film actually works. Give it a try.


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