Writer: Anne Jamaludin

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Watch this if you liked: “Bride Wars”, “The Romantics”, “He’s Just Not That Into You”

After appearing as the central character Gigi in 2009's "He's Just Not That Into You", Ginnifer Goodwin saddles up as the lead in "Something Borrowed" as Rachel White, a single attorney who realises that she is still in love with her best friend Darcy's (Kate Hudson) fiance Dex (Colin Egglesfield) despite her best friend Ethan's (John Krasinski) disappointment. This movie is an adaptation of the novel by Emily Giffin. Just like "Twilight", a romance novel film adaptation does not mean it will turn out exceptionally good. A good read might not necessarily be a good watch. Knowing that Oscar winner Hillary Swank is sitting behind the scene as a producer makes the feeling a whole lot worst.

The plot is like any other rom-coms that have appeared on DVDs before this. Two people who are supposedly meant for each other but faces a conflict in an unwanted third party/best friend? Check. The lead girl's one true love is marrying her best friend years after they kept their feelings to themselves? Check. The best guy friend who is always there for the female lead but she is too busy chasing her first love/dream guy to notice the best friend's feelings for her? Check. The selfish, bitchy best friend who is always the winner as opposed to the lead's poor unfortunate loser of a life? Check. There is just nothing new to this flick that will make it a decent watch at the cinema. Sure, hardcore chick flick lovers will not pass up the chance to catch this. Just do not be surprised if there will be a Team Rachel versus Team Darcy with most votes go to Rachel and Team Dex versus Team Ethan with most voters who opt for Dex will without hesitation move towards Ethan. If one could see where all this would lead, congratulations! They have got the whole story mapped out even before they watched it.

Despite the all cliched storyline, Goodwin plays her role perfectly. She embodies the typical, single, 30s career women who - just like Ethan said in the movie - waits for the man to make their choice when she had the power to choose all along. Audience will no doubt, sympathise with Rachel and secretly hopes she will get her happy ending too. Krasinski, is being his usual sweetheart self, making him one of the ideal boyfriends/potential husbands one would see in a movie and no doubt girls will be smitten with his average-looking but patient and caring persona. And just like his role in the hit television series "The Office", Krasinski brings most of the comical moments in the movie by himself. Meanwhile Hudson's portrayal as Darcy is no different from Liv in "Bride Wars", as the selfish, egoistic best friend who will do anything to get what they want; man and marriage among others like bragging rights. Egglesfield's Dex turns out from an initial heartthrob to an indirect douche in the movie but for reasons one might find out if they ever watch the movie.

Overall, this is a chick flick that deserves to be on a girls' night out watch list during a sleepover session instead of the cinema. It will also be a good company with one's pillow on a lonely, sleepless night. One would not miss much if they accidentally skip the rest of the story or even its conclusion because it ends like most typical Hollywood rom-coms; a happy ending but for this particular movie, the happy ending is wasted on the wrong characters. Period.


Cinema Online, 11 May 2011