Love And Other Drugs Review
This film is sponsored by Budweiser and at least 3 bottles at a time too! Not that I should be complaining as I have to admit it is the only beer for me – but let’s not get too distracted by product placement and talk about Edward Zwick’s comedy/drama.
Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway reunite after Brokeback Mountain for what first appears as a fairly mature sex comedy with plenty of immature jokes thrown in. He, Jamie Randall, is a cocky sales rep on his way up who can talk his way round the lace of any girl’s knickers. Last thing on his mind is a serious relationship (or even any kind of relationship). She, Maggie Murdock, is just as head strong and even less enthusiastic about a relationship than he is.
Their reasons? Well he’s just one of those boys with issues who feels the need to go accomplish and then accomplish more until the day he dies; she suffers from stage one Parkinson’s and keeps men emotionally at arms length. The tone of the film naturally evolves round from the comedic and light hearted to the more profound later in the film as the couple find that no matter how often they throw each other away they are only more and more comfortable to have them come back. Love indeed is the drug of choice here (along with Viagra which Jamie starts to sell).
Thankfully the leads are both well suited, and also well birthday suited, for the pretty people roles. More so though, they have been acting long enough to make a brave stab at raising this film above your general chick flick. So this is much more Jerry MacGuire than it is Jennifer Aniston.
There are a few issues along the way. Finding a way for the pharmaceutical guff to become an engrossing subject is hard – especially when all any character seems to be obsessed about is sex and going to sex parties (which is where the film really starts to hit flights of fantasy). Jamie also has a younger brother who provides the kind of comedy you’d half expect if they had cast Jonah Hill or Zack Galifianakis.
Zwick who had a hand in the screenplay is to be commended for managing to include so much that general films would have had issues with. So much nudity and sex as well as subjects that can’t be skimmed over lightly. He is also to be condemned for choosing to end his film in a very conventional way. It isn’t quite sick inducing, but it is that kind of a wrap up that the film is given which is a bit of a missed opportunity.
Steven Hurst