"Irresistible", "Delightful", "Warm", "Smart", "Funny", "Charming"! These are the adjectives used to describe Juliet, Naked on the front of its DVD box. There are moments throughout the film that do reflect such descriptive words, but in all honesty, the distributors should have also added awkward and (mildly) disappointing.
Can I say at the outset, if you've seen the trailer, which I found quite attracting, you've arguably seen the funniest parts of the movie and heard the most humorous lines. The trailer posits the movie as a kind of light-hearted romp. It's really anything but that.
Juliet Naked tells the story of a quietly appealing museum curator Annie and her relationships with 2 extremely immature, though somewhat likeable men. Chris O'Dowd plays her long term and obviously out of touch partner Duncan, a college teacher who is obsessed with Tucker Crowe played by Ethan Hawke, an obscure musician whose last work was released 25 years ago. Through the course of the narrative we see Annie spending time with both men and its pretty obvious with all their extremely well-detailed shortcomings, neither will satisfy her in the long run. She finally decides to take matters into her own hands, which I figure she had every right to do, about 80 minutes earlier the she does.
The leads give it their all and the fact that the film ultimately doesn't work is through no fault of theirs. Rose Byrne in particular is just captivating (arguably more than the character of Annie should be) and really holds the film together. Her scenes with Jackson, Tucker's 6 year old son are especially noteworthy, in gently expressing her desire to have a child of her own. Chris O' Dowd and Ethan Hawke both also have their moments, but their characters, as written, are just so disagreeable, especially the very self-absorbed Duncan. And we find that Tucker comes with enough baggage to warrant a degree in railway portering. The script based on a book by Nick Hornby, needed to be a few shades lighter in tone.
There are some pleasant moments. The locations are great especially those set on the English coast. Tucker's somewhat chaotic familial dysfunction revealed during his hospital stay is certainly amusing. And the musical highlight of Tucker agreeing to play Waterloo Sunset at the museum anniversary is well nigh enchanting for a few brief minutes.
But ironically some of the funnier scenes occur in the post credits segment (set a year later) of Duncan reviewing the latest Tucker Crowe release. For the movie itself, it hits the right notes, but it all comes too late.
Can I say at the outset, if you've seen the trailer, which I found quite attracting, you've arguably seen the funniest parts of the movie and heard the most humorous lines. The trailer posits the movie as a kind of light-hearted romp. It's really anything but that.
Juliet Naked tells the story of a quietly appealing museum curator Annie and her relationships with 2 extremely immature, though somewhat likeable men. Chris O'Dowd plays her long term and obviously out of touch partner Duncan, a college teacher who is obsessed with Tucker Crowe played by Ethan Hawke, an obscure musician whose last work was released 25 years ago. Through the course of the narrative we see Annie spending time with both men and its pretty obvious with all their extremely well-detailed shortcomings, neither will satisfy her in the long run. She finally decides to take matters into her own hands, which I figure she had every right to do, about 80 minutes earlier the she does.
The leads give it their all and the fact that the film ultimately doesn't work is through no fault of theirs. Rose Byrne in particular is just captivating (arguably more than the character of Annie should be) and really holds the film together. Her scenes with Jackson, Tucker's 6 year old son are especially noteworthy, in gently expressing her desire to have a child of her own. Chris O' Dowd and Ethan Hawke both also have their moments, but their characters, as written, are just so disagreeable, especially the very self-absorbed Duncan. And we find that Tucker comes with enough baggage to warrant a degree in railway portering. The script based on a book by Nick Hornby, needed to be a few shades lighter in tone.
There are some pleasant moments. The locations are great especially those set on the English coast. Tucker's somewhat chaotic familial dysfunction revealed during his hospital stay is certainly amusing. And the musical highlight of Tucker agreeing to play Waterloo Sunset at the museum anniversary is well nigh enchanting for a few brief minutes.
But ironically some of the funnier scenes occur in the post credits segment (set a year later) of Duncan reviewing the latest Tucker Crowe release. For the movie itself, it hits the right notes, but it all comes too late.