Look past the unnecessary narration and Schwartzman's character who exists only to make this a comedy, and you have two stunningly authentic performances from Claire Danes and Steve Martin. This may be Danes best work, which is only a slight shame because it's not an amazing film. Martin clearly had a large amount of faith in his novel, but again - he did not need to narrate passages that are just as easily communicated through the film. I hear the comparisons to Lost in Translation, and I found this film to be much easier to sit through - it's slow, but it is no where near that slow.
It's not a top notch romance by any means, but it has a touch of authenticity that makes it heartwarming. And even if Dane's character is only one you can connect to, it's enough to carry the film.
It's not a top notch romance by any means, but it has a touch of authenticity that makes it heartwarming. And even if Dane's character is only one you can connect to, it's enough to carry the film.