Another month of January, another by-the-numbers romantic comedy released. I wonder why studios always "release" (i.e dump) romantic comedies in January. Is it the slow weak beginning of the year that studios hope to capitalize with lesser fare? Is it that after all the love that's in the air during the Christmas season, studios hope to parlay that into easily digestible romantic movies that will appeal to both the love(d) and scorned? I don't know the answer. But what I do know is that these types of films aren't geared towards men, but hell if I don't eat them up and enjoy almost every one of them. What is it that makes me smile when I watch a movie where I can basically plot out every minute of it when I'm watching it? Is it the comfortable familiarity? Is it because I'm a romantic? Is it because I have no taste? I see the flaws in all the generic romantic comedies, but there's something about them that allows me to overlook their faults and find the charms underneath. But I also recognize that if you aren't a girl into chick flicks (like Penny), you won't like any of these films regardless of how well (or not so well) they are made. However, there's always one question that always comes to my mind when I watch these types of movies, "if she left him for you, who's to say she won't leave you for another guy?"
This year's romantic fodder is none other than, Leap Year, from Anand Tucker, the director of 2005's romantic drama Shopgirl, a film I found mildly entertaining, so I had some interest in seeing this when it was first released. Especially when it's starring one of my favorite actresses, Amy Adams who can be in anything and I'll watch it. Still, I didn't hold out much hope for this movie about a woman who decides to travel to Ireland and propose to her boyfriend of 4 years on Leap Day, because according to Irish tradition and superstition, a foundation of marriage started on Leap Day is meant to last. But along the way she meets a dashing Irishman and zany escapades ensue. Is that really the hook of the movie? Yes, but hey, I've seen worst and can you guess how this one ends? Of course... not?
The film also stars Matthew Goode as the love interest who many people may recognize from being in 2004's Chasing Liberty and 2005's Match Point, but I really became a fan of his after he starred in my favorite movie of 2009, Watchmen as everyone's favorite mad genius, Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias. Adams and Goode have a lot of charm separately, and together they light up the sky, which goes a long way because while the script is weak and cliched, the dialogue hackneyed and poor, their chemistry together saves Leap Year from being instantly forgettable. I can't say I'll remember Leap Year this time next year when the next crop of romantic movies come out, but I will say that I did enjoy the 90 minutes I shared with Adams and Goode in Dublin, Ireland and the one thing this movie really showed me is, damn I really want to visit Ireland. So yeah, I give Leap Year a dvd rating, if only to see Adams and Goode be oh so good together. Yes, I went there.
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