Nothing worth having comes easily, and nothing that comes easy is worth having. With a premise like that, you can almost smell the cat and mouse game a’ brewing. When you increase the class and sophistication a bit, that plotline could be formed into something more refined and sharp. Throw in two of Hollywood’s hottest names, and you have yourself a pleasant flavor that harkens back to the old days. Laws of Attraction is just that film. While some may be quick to label it a straight up romantic comedy, upon closer inspection, you may find your heartstrings tugged more than your funny bone is tickled.
Audrey Woods (Julianne Moore) is a no-nonsense, high-powered New York divorce lawyer. Despite the best efforts of her forever-young mother (Frances Fisher), Audrey is determined never to land herself in a relationship. Audrey meets her match when the unkempt but notorious Daniel Rafferty (Pierce Brosnan) shows up to square off in a game that he has never lost. Sometimes there is fine line between love and hate, and Audrey gets caught up in the haze as she tries to get a “leg-up” on Rafferty. When a high stakes divorce trial between rocker Thorne Jamison (Michael Sheen) and wife Serena (Parker Posey) comes up, Woods and Rafferty take opposing sided in a case that will take them to the Irish Castle that each side wants for their own. But, when they get caught up in the romance of the land, they each have to live with the very thing they destroy…a marriage.
In a funny clash of opposites, Laws of Attraction pits two big stars against each other, and the payoff is tremendous. We haven’t seen chemistry like this since Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. Without Brosnan and Moore, the film would have lacked the energy and intrigue that made it worthwhile. The supporting cast , notably Michael Sheen and Frances Fisher, really accent the comedy and light-hearted atmosphere. From beginning to the end, every relationship is important, and no character comes out unchanged.
While obviously dealing with divorce in a funny manner, Director Peter Howitt brought a more serious and touching view of divorce through the film. One of the main themes is the question of “where does the passion go when it’s time to save a marriage”? Although it might seem that the marriage between the two main characters is a farce, Daniel Rafferty is the first to say he wants to stick it out.
Laws Of Attraction will make for a very pleasant movie going experience, especially for the crowd that aren’t in to the “teen romance”. Pierce Brosnan said of the film, “…it’s a tip of the cap to Tracy and ...
