A complex web of relationships that all converge over the course of one day? You’re probably thinking you’ve already seen this movie. Yet, despite its questionable originality, Valentine’s Day comes off as surprisingly fresh.
The story takes place in Los Angeles over the course of the titular holiday, following the lives of various couples and singles as they make-up, break-up and celebrate commercialized love. The all-star cast reads like a list of the who’s who of young Hollywood (oh hey, T-Swift!), but it also features a few classic stars for good measure. Valentine’s Day primarily focuses on flower shop owner Reed Bennet (Kutcher), who proposes to his girlfriend (Alba) while perhaps still in love with his best friend (Garner), who is dating a doctor (Dempsey) who may be lying about being single. Whew! And those are only a fraction of the film’s relationships. The various plots and lives, however, blend together seamlessly. Valentine’s Day’s best attribute, though, is its humor, which seems natural as it comes less from the characters’ mouths than from their actions, including a memorable scene with Emma Roberts, a guitar and a naked boy.
That’s not to say that Valentine’s Day doesn’t have its flaws. At times, the movie is painfully corny, spouting hackneyed lines about the meaning of love, often courtesy of a painfully precocious 11 year old. This isn’t exactly shocking in a movie based entirely on love and relationships, and Valentine’s Day thankfully keeps its cheesiness factor to a minimum. For both romantics and skeptics, Valentine’s Day is a must see for some laughter and a little bit of love.
Directed By: Gary Marshall Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Jennifer Garner, Julia Roberts Rated PG-13, 125 min 3.5 Stars
