Down with Love (2003)

I loved the Doris Day/Rock Hudson pastiches and some of the comedies that followed with the extraordinary Doris and a varied but terrific succession of leading men. In particular with James Garner in "The Thrill Of It All" The secret there, I believe, was a smart and knowing script an unmistakable chemistry between the stars and performances that were solidly based on reality no matter how "out there" they seem to be. Here, the whole thing is so self conscious that we are never allow to go beyond it and actually enjoy the whole thing. Rene Zellwegger is a very good actress but not a natural comedienne. She's at her best when she's thoroughly thorough as in "Nurse Beatty" where she was very funny mostly because her conviction was so convincingly strong. Here she plays it like in a SNL sketch and could have worked if it had had the length of one of those sketches. In "Down With Love" she's downright annoying. Ewan McGregor, one of my favorites, is not even there. Let me explain. Think of Rock Hudson's commitment to those roles. The charm he was able to emanate and how naturally he became the foil for Doris Day. Here Zellwegger and McGregor don't play opposite each other but against each other. No chemistry whatsoever. Ewan McGregor so wonderful, powerful and beautiful in "Velvet Goldmine" "Shallow Grave" not to mention "Moulin Rouge", is kind of insignificant here. Yes, I'm amazed myself. Doesn't have a hint of the romantic manliness of Rock Hudson, isn't that funny? I didn't like either the on the nose production design, the silly costumes, the theatrical make up and hair nor the unimaginative lighting. Other than that, David Hyde Pierce is, almost, worth the price of admission.