THE SET-UP
Shy, sweet, terminally single Rachel’s (Ginnifer Goodwin) dreams and nightmares come true as she becomes tipsy enough to tell Dex she has been in love with him since law school. The good news is that he feels the same way, but the bad news complicates her chances. Dex is not only an engaged man, but his wife-to-be is none other than her best friend Darcy (Kate Hudson). She must make a decision to remain the loyal friend, or follow her heart to the man of her dreams.
Cast: Ginnifer Goodwin, Kate Hudson and Colin Egglesfield
Written by: Jennie Snyder (screenplay) and Emily Giffin (novel)
Directed by: Luke Greenfield
THE GOOD
In spite of some obvious holes, Something Borrowed made for an enjoyable storyline. Who does not like a good tale of the overlooked girl finally getting the man of their dreams? It was a sweet, contemporary plot with a fairy tale type theme and should be enjoyable..in theory.
That being said, the only thing that made this film stand out to female audiences was the fabulous acting of Kate Hudson and Ginnifer Goodwin. The two carried the show, and played as if they had always been real life best friends. However, there were some rather humorous moments with John Krasinski playing “Ethan”, Rachel’s best guy friend. Kate Hudson masterfully pulled off the performance as “Darcy”, the self involved friend you just love to hate.
Other things to look for are the expert cinematography including scenes showcasing gorgeous areas of New York, and the nice romantic soundtrack.
THE BAD
The plot may be cute and female-friendly, but it lacks some realism in several areas. How do these people make their money? There are a few times in the film that work is referenced, but the rest of the time is spent at the house in The Hamptons or taking the day off to run around behind the fiance’s back to see if a real relationship is in the works. There is frequently a love triangle in romantic comedies, but seriously if I wanted a soap opera I would go watch Days of Our Lives.
This brings me to my next point.. Something Borrowed had a general direction to follow. It’s all about shy Rachel finding her voice, and standing up for her own needs and desires. Dex is who she desires, and every woman with functional eyes can see the reasoning. He is handsome, smart, confident, and terribly sweet. However, during the course of events, he becomes a scared little man. In the same of fairness, he had to jump some hurdles as much as Rachel but after a point enough is enough. Dex created the soap opera, and Rachel enabled him to prolong the agony.
THE SCORECARD
Acting – The “best girlfriends” chemistry between the leading ladies is strong, but they seemed to carry the others in their average performances.
Directing – The director did an excellent job. It was some of the performances that did not grab attention.
Writing – I have heard that the book was excellent, and the usual case seems to be that the movies never meet up to expectations from the book readers. Although I have yet to read the book, it still seemed to me that the screenplay left too many unfilled details.
Sound – The overall sound and soundtrack to the film seemed to blend with the desired atmosphere. My favorite soundtrack moment is when the two girls do a dance routine to Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It”.
Visuals – Visuals were absolutely stunning from the beautiful New York parks and townhomes to the house near the beach in The Hamptons lending a whimsically romantic feel.
OVERALL
Honestly, it was a cute romantic comedy dealing with subject matter capable of connecting with a primarily female audience. However, if I knew then what I know now it would be on my “to rent” list.
Something Borrowed gets a 6 out of 10
