Renee Zwelleger says "Down with Love" in this 2003 homage to the Rock-Hudson-Doris Day films of the 1960s. The film, directed by Peyton Reed, also stars Ewan McGregor, Sarah Paulson, David Hyde-Pierce, and Tony Randall.
"Down with Love" is actually a combination of the Rock/Doris movies and the sex comedies of the '60s, though a little randier in its amusing use of the split screen.
The story concerns a best-selling writer Barbara Novak (Zwelleger) who espouses sex for pleasure and not love, and the playboy magazine journalist Catch Blocker (McGregor) who wants to expose her as a fraud. He poses as Zip Martin, astronaut, and courts her. Very "Pillow Talk." The clothes, the hair, the background music, and the color process are totally sixties, as is the hilarious use of process shots and collages. My favorite is Barbara and Catch making the rounds of nightclubs. They appear on screen, arm and arm and smiling, as the neon signs of different nightclubs flash on the screen.
"Down with Love" is delightful fun, especially for those of us who remember these films well. Randall, who was a mainstay of these films, takes on the role of publisher, while Hyde-Pierce has the normal Randall role, the unlucky in love friend of the lead.
My only problem with this film is it's a little too tongue in cheek for me in spots, especially in the performance of Paulson. The elements of '60s light comedies are there. All it needed was a little more sincere acting, even if you channeled the acting style of the original stars of these films. In the very beginning, Zwelleger seemed to be deliberately copying Doris Day's vocal rhythms and enthusiastic delivery, but then she stopped doing that. It would have been great if she'd kept it up. Hyde-Pierce gave the most successful performance, followed by MacGregor, who isn't exactly in the Rock mode.
Wonderfully entertaining. If you're a fan of the Doris/Rock movies, don't miss it.
"Down with Love" is actually a combination of the Rock/Doris movies and the sex comedies of the '60s, though a little randier in its amusing use of the split screen.
The story concerns a best-selling writer Barbara Novak (Zwelleger) who espouses sex for pleasure and not love, and the playboy magazine journalist Catch Blocker (McGregor) who wants to expose her as a fraud. He poses as Zip Martin, astronaut, and courts her. Very "Pillow Talk." The clothes, the hair, the background music, and the color process are totally sixties, as is the hilarious use of process shots and collages. My favorite is Barbara and Catch making the rounds of nightclubs. They appear on screen, arm and arm and smiling, as the neon signs of different nightclubs flash on the screen.
"Down with Love" is delightful fun, especially for those of us who remember these films well. Randall, who was a mainstay of these films, takes on the role of publisher, while Hyde-Pierce has the normal Randall role, the unlucky in love friend of the lead.
My only problem with this film is it's a little too tongue in cheek for me in spots, especially in the performance of Paulson. The elements of '60s light comedies are there. All it needed was a little more sincere acting, even if you channeled the acting style of the original stars of these films. In the very beginning, Zwelleger seemed to be deliberately copying Doris Day's vocal rhythms and enthusiastic delivery, but then she stopped doing that. It would have been great if she'd kept it up. Hyde-Pierce gave the most successful performance, followed by MacGregor, who isn't exactly in the Rock mode.
Wonderfully entertaining. If you're a fan of the Doris/Rock movies, don't miss it.