Don't Believe the Hype

It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

It was fun to see Thora Birch and Chris Klein back in action in this Portland-based rom-com. Birch's smart, self-assured acting style is a nice complement to Klein's natural good-guy vibe. The sight gag where Lauren trips and drops out frame just after meeting Calvin, leaving her umbrella suspended in mid-air, is a fun piece of camera work and helps to set the light, goofy tone of the film. The PIG Theory (Point of Infidelity and Guilt) is cynical and clearly rooted in more than just numbers, so Calvin has his work cut out for him when tasked by Gena to intervene in Lauren's career path. Their chemistry is immediate, they soon strike a bargain, and shenanigans ensue. Some of the supporting characters add real spark and depth, including a radiant Claire Coffee as Lauren's long-suffering and protective sister Gena, Kelsey Tucker as amusingly harried have-it-all career mom Sharon, and the scene-stealing David Blue as Jacob. The central contest of the film is pretty mean-spirited, but of course you know Calvin and Lauren will learn some important life lessons and things will work out for them in the end. You can't boil everything down to a scientific formula.

If this film played a part in a meal, it would be a palate cleanser. It's simple, it's clean. It's not very filling, It's a break from the fatty stuff, the sweet stuff, and the heavy stuff.I enjoyed trying to guess where the movie was shot - Oregon, I think. Never been there, don't know what it is like. But the Voodoo Doughnuts were a clue and Portland is mentioned in the dialogue. So, Oregon it could be. Beautiful, different, and looks very nice - for the non-tourist, just someone watching actors in this setting. The dialogue is relatively uninspired (until the end, when Chris Klein has a nice monologue). The choices of the actors are inspired, though - they play 'normal' people. For once, the female lawyer does not have a sleek suit with a shirt that highlights her cleavage. Clare Coffee plays that lawyer. Her sister is the scientist, one of the central characters. Thora Burch plays that scientist. Burch can easily look like she's 14 years old, but in this film, she simply looks a little weary, a lot cynical, and more likely to frown than smile. For once, a scientist seems more like an average person and not made to look like a lab technician or a woman ready to throw off her jacket and show that she's wearing a bustier around the workplace. These people look like they have jobs. They dress like they are people who live among other people with jobs and aren't ready to have sex with co-workers on office desks or among the file cabinets. This is not 'Suits.' I am glad I stayed with the film and watched it to the end, although I lost interest in the 'competition.' The romance is sweet and subdued. But still - oh, so sweet.

A woman only dates men for 6 months, some guy is persuaded to try and seduce her. He falls for her then, for a laugh, they wreck loads of his friends relationships.This is basically a twist on Never Been Kissed - which I am ok with - but it lacks in most areas.The leads are especially weak here. I like Thora Birch but she is really badly cast here. She hasn't got enough warmth to carry this off - Chris Klien gives the most wooden performance I have seen since Phantom Menace.The morals of the plot are a bit twisted, It is hard to feel good for the characters when it all comes to a head.Bland, unemotional with no pzazz!

The chemistry of Thora and Chris as they compete reminds of the old Grant and Hepburn movies, but with a timely twist. You start with a great script, my favorite director, and a great team of producers, and you end up with a battle of the wits that is steeped in romance and full of many laugh out loud moments. I'm a Thora Birch fan from the get-go, but the depth and insight she brought to the character blew me away. Chris Klein has honed his romantic lead ability he's been leading with since he was a kid. I love the dynamic Claire Coffee gets in her role and as usual, she nailed it!. Tiffany Fallon shows her comedic flair is as awesome as her beauty. I'm always impressed with Harvey Lowry calling the shots, but it was a blast to see him on the other side of the camera. Kelsey Tucker envisioned and wrote this smart screenplay, and then she produced and acted in it. That's a triple threat talent you don't see often. Rachel Meyer and Jasmine Fontes worked their magic to make things happen magically. Too many great talents to mention, but they all deserve mentioning. A perfect date movie that's entertaining for anyone. Even a dude like me who couldn't wait for his significant other to join him. That's alright, I'll watch it again. And again! Highly recommend this Rom-Com with a new twist to the classic genre.