With the latest Garry Marshall-directed star-driven holiday-based vignette movie, New Year’s Eve, coming out in theaters, I thought I would review the movie Marshall did last time out…Valentine’s Day. Now, I have not seen New Year’s Eve yet but based on the trailer, I have a feeling that New Year’s Eve and Valentine’s Day share a resounding amount of similarities. They are both Garry Marshall-directed star-driven holiday-based vignette movies. That description alone pretty much assures similarities.
Not being the biggest fan of multiple vignette movies, I didn’t have high expectations for Valentine’s Day. I find that usually, in vignette ensemble movies like this one, ala Short Cuts, Crash, I get so upset with one story that no matter what is happening in the others, I lose interest in the whole thing.
But, this had such a great cast, how could I pass it up? And, thankfully, it’s MUCH sweeter and more enjoyable than I expected. The storylines are all what you would expect from a Garry Marshall-directed romantic comedy. After all, this is the man who directed Pretty Woman (1990)…the ultimate modern-day rom com. These types of movies are all about love in its various forms...broken love, falling in love, old love, love that’s not really love at all, friendship love, etc.
Find out what's happening in Niles-Morton Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
The sweetest storyline in Valentine’s Day would have to be the two friends who THINK that they are having great fortune in the love department. Then, all of a sudden, one of the relationships crashes and the other soon does as well. The friends come together to find solace in each other and end up finding love as well.
Also, the plotline with an older couple (played by Marshall rom com regular Hector Elizondo and the fabulous Shirley MacLaine) finding their way back together after a past betrayal is heartfelt and endearing. Basically, this film lives up to its goal...to make us all feel like going out and falling in love! If only it were that easy.
Find out what's happening in Niles-Morton Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
What will Mr. Marshall do next? I suggest Flag Day where patriotic people fall in love near historic US landmarks…the Statue of Liberty, the Liberty Bell, Lincoln’s Memorial, etc.
Valentine’s Day: 2010, PG-13, 125 minutes, directed by Garry Marshall, starring Ashton Kutcher, Julia Roberts, Bradley Cooper, Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Alba, Kathy Bates, Jessica Biel, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Topher Grace, Hector Elizondo, Shirley MacLaine, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Garner, George Lopez, Emma Roberts, Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner. The Niles Library owns a copy of this title on DVD.
