Laws Of Attraction
Ya know, as I continue to watch Pierce Brosnan in his post-Bond career, I keep wondering just WHEN he will break away from the silly / dumb romantic comedies where he plays something other than his stock, suave ladykiller persona to at least gain the respectability that Connery did, because it seems like he DOES have the potential. Taken for what it is, the premise is cute enough: Two rival NYC divorce lawyers (Brosnan and Julianne Moore) feud during a case against each other but eventually fall in love themselves. I wondered if this plot could sustain its 90 minute running time, but ultimately falls short about halfway through. The early scenes show Moore (always a charming actress) holding her own with Pierce in some good dialogue bits and funny situations (like when Moore breaks into Brosnanās office and escapes just in time, only to find that Brosnan had hidden spy cameras all over the place). I could have done without Francis Fisher as Mooreās self-obsessed social-climbing mother (who loathes for her daughter to address her as such in public) or the fact that in this film divorce lawyers are made out to be as famous as movie stars by the media, or the forced irony that Brosnan considers divorce an abomination and considers being a lawyer of such to be ājust a jobā. The film brightens up when our lead characters take opposite sides in a highly publicized divorce between a trashy rock star (Michael Sheen), and his equally trashy fashion designer wife (Parker Posey). These two make for some VERY entertaining scenes, as Iāve never seen Posey give a bad performance, and Sheen is hilarious in his over the top turn. Unfortunately, director Peter Howitt doesnāt give them the chance they deserve to steal the movie, choosing instead to slow things down as Brosnan and Moore head to Ireland to depose the staff of the castle the couple are disputing. Indeed, Howitt seems to care more about displaying the Irish countryside than progressing the story, and the Irish people are shown as the moronic alcoholic stereotypes that has become so common (so much so that the local Irish media blasted the film upon release). This results in a MAJOR plot twist that ups the ante for our stars, and makes things a bit more interesting, but the story gets resolved in such a contrived way that the ending, while nice, feels like it took a cheapened effort to arrive there. In the end, if you are a romantic comedy lover or Brosnan fanatic, have at it, but all others bewareā¦
5/10