Film Review: Rom Com Central

So for one of the dates I went on over the weekend, it involved dinner at one of the guy’s houses, and a DVD. So I took along a selection – not having a clue what he liked or had seen, and being too rushed to read the back covers because I’m always late. To everything.

First one off the shelf – and the one I watched with my date – was Wild Target, starring Bill Nighy, Rupert Grint and Emily Blunt.

Bill Nighy is Victor Maynard, a lonely assassin of somewhat questionable sexuality and with serious mummy issues. He is also learning French – in the bathtub, rather endearingly. Emily Blunt becomes Maynard’s latest target following a clumsy art heist, and Rupert Grint is along for the ride after being caught up in a failed assassination attempt. Rupert Everett is the bad guy, and he is surrounded by a coterie of ruthless and also bumbling bad guys – you can see where the funny bits are likely to happen.

One thing I must note, is Emily Blunt's clothes in this film. They are awful. Truly awful. Such a disappointment after The Devil Wears Prada.

Wild Target was cute and had its funny moments, although I didn’t really feel that it broke any new ground in the lovable assassin comedy genre. While I didn’t really feel the chemistry between Nighy (whom I adore adore adore – have you seen his funny spindly fingers? Gorgeous!) and Blunt, I did laugh out loud quite a lot. If it’s available as a weekly hire, or it’s tight arse Tuesday, I recommend getting it out. 3 stars.

Another of the films (my video store does 3 overnight for $12 – can’t beat the value!) was No Strings Attached, starring Natalie Portman and Ashton Kutcher. Riding high after her Oscars success, this film kind of flew under the radar (apparently because the PR people wanted to bury the film as they thought it might attract the wrong kind of attention and spoil Portman’s Oscars chances).

No Strings Attached also covers old ground in the romantic comedy world: two people having sex and vehemently attempting to ensure they do not end up falling love with the other. We all know this does not work! They establish ground rules – i.e. no spooning in clothes, no breakfasts or other kinds of dates – however, Kutcher’s character has far too big a heart, and his kindness of spirit ends up with him on the scrap heap following the breaking of certain rules.

There are some hilarious moments in this film, and, for those who are a little prudish, some very candid moments. I laughed out loud. A. Lot. It was a sweet film, and for a single girl, it was also one of those rom coms that had an ending that gave you hope – and didn’t leave you sitting on the couch contemplating an impossibly beautiful ending that you know will never happen to you (cue teariness and possible ice cream consumption). Ed: Did that sound psycho? Perhaps it is. For some reason, I find certain rom coms terribly upsetting – all that true love? Get me outta here!

Anyway - I'll give it 3.5 stars. Perfectly fine to rent even if it's still overnight and costs more than $1 to rent.