A Lot Like Love

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A Lot Like Love begins seven years ago with the initial meeting of Oliver (Ashton Kutcher) and Emily (Amanda Peet) at an airport. They become better acquainted on the airplane and end up hanging out in New York City. From the start you can tell these opposites are inexplicably attracted to one another and will overcome whatever obstacles they face in order to be together. That is a given in this satisfactory romantic comedy that doesn't push the envelope but does display great chemistry between the lead actors and has a few genuinely touching moments to look out for.

The film opens in the past showing the progression of the relationship between Oliver and Emily through the years as well as their own personal growth. Showing us of course that even as things change around us we remain the same at our core in our need to be loved. Our protagonists get on with their lives in pursuit of success in work and love but ultimately always end up coming back to one another. Love is about taking chances and putting yourself out there. In turn by getting lost in the pursuit things might get messy or you may act foolish. One of Emily's best lines tells us that," If you aren't willing to sound stupid, you don't deserve to be in love."

In a kind of Harry Met Sally-style, the story takes place over seven years with Oliver and Emily appearing intermittingly in one another's lives since that first airport meeting. So, why don't they stay together from the start? In true movie fashion they must be apart in order to reunite so there is no story if they hit it off in the beginning and remain together. The way the story is structured they spend years without seeing each other, randomly rekindle their interest in one another, and then disengage for a few more years. This seems flawed since if they were truly in love regardless of it not being the right time to become involved, they would work at it harder.

This is all the more confusing because Peet and Kutcher have such great chemistry with one another. You can tell that they had fun making this film and must have hit it off right away. They simply look natural acting in scenes together. This is a bonus for the film as are a few touching themes such as having Oliver's brother being deaf and also the positive example of love with his wife and son.

The acting in the film is fine especially because of the aforementioned chemistry between Peet and Kutcher. Kutcher does well to portray a slightly awkward person who is so keen in sticking to his plan for personal and professional success that he misses the point of enjoying life.

Kutcher is not so believable as an entrepreneur because it is hard to picture him as being particularly bright since he always shows up as the goofball; whether on TV or in films. He is a capable leading man in a film like this where he can be goofy and charming, and as always, if he falters he has his good looks to fall back on. When Oliver and Emily are together she enables him to cut loose and take chances. This is a credit to Peet who is able to exude confidence at times contrasted to being defeated as well in her spirited character.

A Lot Like Love certainly does not rewrite the rules of the romantic comedy and its story structure is a bit unrealistic, but if you don't have a problem with a film staying within its genre then you very might well enjoy seeing two actors play off each other with such natural chemistry that you get the feeling it's a lot like love.

Movie Grade: C+

About the Movie

Emily (Peet) and Oliver (Kutcher) find love at the wrong point in their lives, only to find themselves brought together by fateful events as the years progress.