Edward Zwick’s Love and Other Drugs is a triumphant step in the improvement of the romantic comedy genre. Unlike many romantic comedies, Love and Other Drugs doesn’t alienate men from the film, rather it does the opposite, this film may be a love story but it’s told from the male’s perspective more so than the females, which makes it a bit more fresh in a time where that word is rarely used in this industry.
The film, which stars Jake Gyllenhaal as the fast talking and charismatic Pfizer drug seller Jamie Randall, takes us on both a comical and emotional ride through the difficulties of relationships that carry the heavy burden of disease and illness. It shows us how love can be the most powerful drug in how it can change lives just as quickly as it can destroy them.
Alongside Gyllenhaal is the nudist and, in this case, sex freak that is Anne Hathaway (yes, I can’t believe I’m saying that either) in addition to Hank Azaria (Night at the Museum 2), Oliver Platt (2012) and Josh Gad (The Rocker). Ann plays Jake’s first real love interest Maggie Murdock, who also happens to have Parkinson’s disease while Platt plays Gyllenhall’s drug selling mentor Bruce, Azaria as Dr. Knight, the doctor whom Jamie must win over if he is ever to conquer the drug selling field, and Gad as his well off but socially inept brother, Josh. The film focuses on Jake’s relationship with all these individuals with the core of the film focusing on his evolving relationship with Hathaway.
Zwick, who has directed films like Blood Diamond, Glory and The Last Samurai, comes out of his two year directorial hiatus to bring us his first foray into the category since 2002. The result is a relatively easy going and, at times, raunchy sex rom-com that was made with a purpose other than to just make money. Its underlying meaning wasn’t to be stupid, flimsy, and shallow but rather take an existing formula and build upon it with a stronger twist of ideas. Crossing genres seems to not have fazed Zwick at all because the film continually built upon itself due to his rather good story telling ability.
While there are many films in which the male lead is a babe magnet and then ends up actually falling in love with the one girl who offers him a challenge, this film differentiates itself by having the female actually rejecting the emotional connection rather than the physical. Instead of sexual tension, Zwick uses the emotional side which isn’t seen often in films and is where he actually succeeds in keeping the film’s plot afloat rather than deteriorating into a clichéd abyss that many rom-coms fall into.
In terms of the movie itself, it has been the most enjoyable romantic comedy that I have seen in a long time, probably as a result of its extremely sexual nature and great humor. Without having to get extremely raunchy, think Knocked Up, this film relied on the humor of Gyllenhaal, his potty mouthed bother, and the introduction of Pfizer to the world to garner tons of “did that just really happen” laughs throughout the film.
In terms of the acting, I was pretty much sucked in by all the performances. The chemistry between Hathaway and Gyllenhaal was pretty good and their solid on screen performances is probably the reason I enjoyed the movie so much, especially when I’m not much of a Hathaway fan. Although the best parts of the film occurred whenever Josh Gad, Jamie’s brother, was on screen because he couldn’t figure out how to keep his dirty thoughts in his mind, he always let them out at one point or another.
With a great script, a wonderful cast, and solid performances by each member of it, Edward Zwick’s Love and Other Drugs is a playfully witty romantic comedy in every sense of the words.
Rating: A fresh and funny rom-com that takes the right steps to improve the stale genre.
Love and Other Drugs his theaters on November 24th.
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