If I’ve been experiencing anything at the movies lately, it’s a sense of déją vu. If I’m not sitting through another apocalyptic thriller then I’m suffering through a by-the-numbers romantic comedy. Case in point: When in Rome has more than a passing resemblance to Leap Year, a rom-com from three weeks ago. Once more we’re introduced to a plucky, successful career woman who inexplicably can’t find love but winds up finding her soul mate once she lets her guard down.
The woman in question is Beth (Kristen Bell), a curator at the Guggenheim who has no time for love. However, things change when she goes to Rome for her sister’s wedding and, after ruining the reception, impulsively snatches some coins from a magic fountain. Suddenly, she finds herself being wooed by the men who cast them in the hopes of finding love. A painter (Will Arnett), a male model (Dax Sheperd) and a magician (Jon Heder), have her in their sights and all of a sudden attention makes her suspicious of their intentions, as well as those of Nick (Josh Duhamel), a sportswriter she met at her sister’s wedding who’s head-and-shoulders above her other suitors.
Bell and Duhamel are quite good and the chemistry they generate makes you wish they were in a better movie. Their comedic timing is sharp and you get the sense that these two simply belong together. Unfortunately, the film’s humor is far too broad and predictable to elicit a chuckle, while Beth’s suitors are such ridiculous caricatures we end up groaning when they appear. These star-crossed movie lovers deserve much better than this tepid affair, as do long-suffering fans of the genre.
Contact Chuck Koplinski at ckoplinski@usd116.org.
