I saw this movie back in 2010ish as a young teen, and while the plot wasn't memorable, I remember it being comforting and interesting. Since it's currently on streaming services, I decided to revisit it 12 yrs later. I am happy to say that it has held up pretty well. It's not incredible, but there's definitely some things that are special that make it stand out from the rest.
The film is about a mid/late 20s woman Gray (Jennifer Garner), whose fiance dies very suddenly. Her world falls apart both mentally and physically - she has no spousal support due to a lack of a will, she's unable to afford to continue living in her dream house, and she finds out that her late fiance was cheating on her with another woman and had a secret child. The film depicts Gray's ups and downs as she navigates this totally new life, with the help of some old friends, including a budding new romance between her and her late fiance's best friend Fritz (Timothy Olyphant).
To start, the concept of the film is well done - it's set in Colorado, which is a refreshing change of pace from the streets of NYC. The cinematography is fresh, and the color palette, full of lush greens, browns, and blues, is nice to look at. There's also a certain mid-2000s charm to the characters' outfits, lifestyles, sets, and of course, the soundtrack, which hits me right in the millennial feels.
There's something very special and memorable about the plot element of Gray deciding to move into her fiance's old house. It's very obvious the director took care to make sure the setting of the house was cozy, lived in, and full of the types of quirks that you'd imagine young renters in Colorado would put up with, like converted bedrooms, sliding doors, and a sticky front door that's just annoying enough... This type of attention to detail contributes to us viewers feeling truly immersed in the characters' lives. It also makes for quite interesting character interactions, in which the house becomes highly incorporated into pivotal scenes, such as Gray and Fritz's first night together, and Gray subsequently sneaking around and hiding the relationship from the other housemates.
I also especially liked how all of the characters are shown dealing with their grief in different ways, following the loss of their best friend/roommate/fiance. Sam, for example, eats and drinks his feelings and skips out on work. Dennis keeps himself busy at all times and hovers around Gray trying to feel useful. Gray and Fritz are both surface-level keeping it cool, but on the inside are in a lot of turmoil. Their character dynamic works well together, the chemistry between the actors is palpable, and I was rooting for them to get together.
I think what doesn't work in this film, and probably the reason it has mixed reviews, are the major plot holes and slightly unexplained storyline elements.
The parts concerning Gray's late fiance's will and legal issues require more attention from viewers, or else it's easy to miss why she's broke. Additionally, Fritz and Gray's relationship could have used a lot more exposition and development. I think the director intended us to find Fritz gross, vulgar, and immature, so it was a little confusing why they wouldn't have had a few more clashing moments to build the tension before their big kiss.
My desire to know more about Fritz also extends to Sam and Dennis. There's too many moments where viewers are left to "choose their own adventure" and fill in the blanks. I acknowledge that it's often hard for directors to strike a good balance between telling the audience the story, while being sure not to hold their hands, but unfortunately this film teeters on being a little too vague. It's a shame because again, the concept and plot of the film are super interesting and creative - it's just that it's missing that extra layer of character and story development that would make this film a real hit.
Overall, I think this film has earned a place in the early 2000s romcom/dramedy lineup. The characters are easy to like, the acting performances are well done, and the story is a realistic look at how grief upends people's lives and emotions. It's not necessarily a 10/10 film, but I'm comfortable saying it's a hidden gem for people who love the genre.
The film is about a mid/late 20s woman Gray (Jennifer Garner), whose fiance dies very suddenly. Her world falls apart both mentally and physically - she has no spousal support due to a lack of a will, she's unable to afford to continue living in her dream house, and she finds out that her late fiance was cheating on her with another woman and had a secret child. The film depicts Gray's ups and downs as she navigates this totally new life, with the help of some old friends, including a budding new romance between her and her late fiance's best friend Fritz (Timothy Olyphant).
To start, the concept of the film is well done - it's set in Colorado, which is a refreshing change of pace from the streets of NYC. The cinematography is fresh, and the color palette, full of lush greens, browns, and blues, is nice to look at. There's also a certain mid-2000s charm to the characters' outfits, lifestyles, sets, and of course, the soundtrack, which hits me right in the millennial feels.
There's something very special and memorable about the plot element of Gray deciding to move into her fiance's old house. It's very obvious the director took care to make sure the setting of the house was cozy, lived in, and full of the types of quirks that you'd imagine young renters in Colorado would put up with, like converted bedrooms, sliding doors, and a sticky front door that's just annoying enough... This type of attention to detail contributes to us viewers feeling truly immersed in the characters' lives. It also makes for quite interesting character interactions, in which the house becomes highly incorporated into pivotal scenes, such as Gray and Fritz's first night together, and Gray subsequently sneaking around and hiding the relationship from the other housemates.
I also especially liked how all of the characters are shown dealing with their grief in different ways, following the loss of their best friend/roommate/fiance. Sam, for example, eats and drinks his feelings and skips out on work. Dennis keeps himself busy at all times and hovers around Gray trying to feel useful. Gray and Fritz are both surface-level keeping it cool, but on the inside are in a lot of turmoil. Their character dynamic works well together, the chemistry between the actors is palpable, and I was rooting for them to get together.
I think what doesn't work in this film, and probably the reason it has mixed reviews, are the major plot holes and slightly unexplained storyline elements.
The parts concerning Gray's late fiance's will and legal issues require more attention from viewers, or else it's easy to miss why she's broke. Additionally, Fritz and Gray's relationship could have used a lot more exposition and development. I think the director intended us to find Fritz gross, vulgar, and immature, so it was a little confusing why they wouldn't have had a few more clashing moments to build the tension before their big kiss.
My desire to know more about Fritz also extends to Sam and Dennis. There's too many moments where viewers are left to "choose their own adventure" and fill in the blanks. I acknowledge that it's often hard for directors to strike a good balance between telling the audience the story, while being sure not to hold their hands, but unfortunately this film teeters on being a little too vague. It's a shame because again, the concept and plot of the film are super interesting and creative - it's just that it's missing that extra layer of character and story development that would make this film a real hit.
Overall, I think this film has earned a place in the early 2000s romcom/dramedy lineup. The characters are easy to like, the acting performances are well done, and the story is a realistic look at how grief upends people's lives and emotions. It's not necessarily a 10/10 film, but I'm comfortable saying it's a hidden gem for people who love the genre.