Yesterday both Ginge and I had a day off. Me free from rehearsal and Ginge free from stretchy pants sales. Like any two sane people on any Saturday before Christmas in December we chose to go to the local mall. In our case the South Coast "Super-Mega-Three-Bulidings-Big" Plaza. We actually did some pretty amazing shopping in under an hour. Our biggest accomplishment was making good on a gift certificate bestowed on us for our "English Wedding" over a year ago by cousin Jenn and Paul. I got a new 6" Chef's knife and Ginge gathered a collection of kitchen nick-nacks and a vegetarian cookbook that I will no doubt be feeling the organic wrath of for some time to come.
Our shopping done we scouted for gifts for others and made our way to the predetermined film of choice or rather Ginge's predetermined film of choice. To be fair, there is not much out now and Love and Other Drugs by title alone sounded appealing and the poster (pictured) suggested at minimum "The White Queen" would get her kit off. I was half right.
I have to say that the first hour and some, before I left, the film very much impressed me. Ed Zwick (Legends of the Fall, Blood Diamond, Glory) pulled off what I consider to be a cinematic coup. He made arguably two of the most exciting elements of life Love and Drugs excruciatingly boring. A feat all that more impressive when you consider a fair portion of the film is Jake and Anne shagging their brains out. So one could argue Zwick even made sex boring.
Thankfully I have a merciful wife, who after noticing my jittery discomfort and failed attempts to fall asleep, suggested I leave and that she could text me when the film was over. This time I did as I was told. Leaving the theatre and my wife I was in an utter state of shock. The most disturbing thing is I can't exactly tell you why it was so bad. All the elements were there; Attractive people, up-beat soundtracking, charming humor, standard "by the numbers" story structure and maybe that is it. Love and Other drugs is cliche. Thank god life does not always imitate art.
