Love and Other Disasters
FLICK Did you ever think anyone would compare Brittany Murphy and Audrey Hepburn, let alone put them together in a sentence? A similarity becomes apparent after watching Love and Other Disasters, a light-hearted comedy channeling Breakfast at Tiffany’s, written and directed by Alek Keshishian, best known for directing Madonna’s Truth or Dare.
Murphy plays Emily, better known as Jacks to her friends, and works at UK Vogue wearing trendy clothes that Hepburn drool over. Though Jacks is in a dysfunctional relationship, she is ever the romantic and fixes up her gay roommate Peter (Matthew Rhys) on a date with coworker Paolo (Santiago Cabrera), not knowing Paolo is straight and interested in her.
The setup may seem familiar but the execution is fresh and the dialogue is crisp. Keshishian spins the Truman Capote classic into a modern-day tale without too much fluff. Obvious references to the movie and even a soundtrack that includes "Moon River" add to the lyrical tone.
Anyone currently watching "Brothers & Sisters", will recognize Rhys as Kevin Walker, the gay lawyer on the TV show. The contrast of the two characters is slightly obvious: where Kevin is more tightly wound, Peter is not quite as stressed out. Rhys gives a comfortable and commanding performance, perhaps due to speaking in his native British accent or just an astute observation of locale differences. Another actor on an American show from this past year is Cabrera who played the telepathic painter Isaac on "Heroes." In the film, sexy Cabrera gets to show a little more charm and, though the sparks could really fly with him and Rhys, he only has starry eyes for Murphy’s Jacks. Cameos by Dawn French, Gwyneth Paltrow and Orlando Bloom only up the ante for a winning full house.
We’re all after the same rainbow’s end, and any huckleberry friend or heartbreaker will find this enchanting and breezy film a dream maker. My Score: 7.5 out of 10.
