Now that the fall Award season films have all been accounted for at least promotionally (we’ve seen the trailers, etc.) studios are starting to think ahead to the dreck, filler films they have ready to dump release at the beginning of the year dumping ground season.
Hence the arrival of the poster and trailer for “Leap Year,” a romantic comedy starring two actors we like, Amy Adams and Matthew Goode.
However, as you might expect, it looks excruciating, panders to every rom-com cliche in the book and even stoops so low to prey on the female insecurity of getting married and finding a man before a certain age. The premise, like many romcom premises, is borderline mentally retarded: women can propose to men in Ireland on a leap year and oh god, who cares…
It hits theaters January 8. The same people who loved, “PS, I Love You,” will probably adore this film. We’ve got no problem with rom-coms or films tailored to women (see the largely enjoyable — for the most part — “Julie & Julia”), but do most of them have to be so condescending to female audiences, treat them like morons and be bereft of any kind of intelligence?
We suppose these movies are made for an audience that loves these movies back in full, but that actually wanted to make me stab my eyes out.
The shocking thing? This was directed by Anand Tucker who was the director behind the excellent, “Hilary & Jackie” and the 1983 installment of the critically revered “Red Riding” trilogy (not to mention the not-amazing, but still occasionally interesting, “Shopgirl”). Has this trailer been manipulated beyond belief? Or is this just what he’s up to these days? Strange…
I dont know… I am not a fan of the chick flick, I find them sexist beyond belif!! But I think this looks cute due to the fact that amy adams is cute and a fine actress and is one of the few actresses that does not want to make me pull out my hair. Will I see it in theatres? No. But if its on starz at midnight one night when I cant sleep okay.
"do most of them have to be so condescending to female audiences, treat them like morons and be bereft of any kind of intelligence?"
HEAR HEAR!
I assume this is coming out in the same week that "Bride Wars" did this year, thus fulfilling the quota of horribly offensive content aimed at women a week into the new year. Awesome. I was starting to feel hopeful about positive portrayals of women in film lately, so clearly that wasn't going to last.
Also, "Can I get a taxi to Dublin" from Wales? Really?
Matthew Goode's accent is the only enjoyable thing about the trailer. I don't know how accurate it is, but to my untrained ear it sounds lovely.
Wow. That poster is just a disaster on so many levels. How in the world did that thing make it out of the marketing meeting alive? Let's just start with the faces of the two stars. There is nothing about either of those expressions that suggests a fun, light hearted romp at the movies.
Even if this opens with no competition, it will underperform for the genre and the release date. Why bother making a picture like this if you aren't even going to try and get butts into seats?
Matthew Goode looks like Jeremy Irons in that poster.
It's a shame Anand Tucker is directing, cus Shopgirl was great.