Happy Birthday Colin Firth!

There are actors or actresses I tend to look for in movies and TV; if I see them I usually know whether it is going to be good or bad. One such actor I have admired for years, whose birthday is today, is Colin Firth. Whether he is wooing hearts, being dramatic or making audiences laugh Firth has always been an actor audiences have loved for many years. Today on his 58th birthday we are going to take a look at some of Firth’s film and TV career and what is worth watching.

Pride and Prejudice miniseries. Firth had been acting in films and television prior for some time, but his career skyrocketed after this 1995 miniseries about the beloved Jane Austin novel. Despite his objections at first Firth was cast as the male lead character Mr. Darcy, a man who becomes the main love interest and annoyance of Elizabeth Bennet. Critics and audiences loved him, particularly the famous scene at the lake, and Firth’s career has never been the same since. In a twist of fate if it wasn’t for this miniseries author Helen Fielding may never have written her famous Bridget Jones books and we wouldn’t have had some of the more memorable performances of Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant and of course Firth.

Shakespeare in Love. It might be odd to see Firth in a villainous like role, but that is exactly what he was in this 1998 romantic drama film. Firth portrays Lord Wessex, an aristocrat who intends to keep his betrothed Viola (Gwyneth Paltrow) close by. However he might be thwarted because Viola, who disguises as a man to participate in a play, has fallen in love with William Shakespeare (Joseph Fiennes). Firth hasn’t played many villains in his career so it was interesting to see him in this role. I kinda hope he plays more villains in the future.

Bridget Jones Diary franchise. A more modern take on Jane Austin’s Pride & Prejudice, with Firth playing a very similar role. Here he is Mark Darcy (the last name speaks for itself), an old family friend of Bridget Jones (Renée Zellweger). In the first film, released in 2001, they at first do not get along, but anyone familiar with the story knows how it goes. Throughout the first film and the two sequels, released in 2004 and in 2016 respectively, Mark and Bridget’s relationship has ups and downs (and other men), but at the end of the day they were meant to be. Firth is spectacular as Mark and had excellent chemistry with Zellweger.

Love Actually. One of the go-to romantic comedies, as well as Christmas movies. This 2003 British film has so many stars and love stories, but Firth still manages to stand out. He stars as Jamie, a writer whose heart is broken when he discovers his girlfriend is sleeping with his brother. Retreating to his French cottage Jamie meets the new housekeeper Aurélia (Lúcia Moniz). Despite not speaking the same language Jamie and Aurélia fall in love. Firth is one of my favorite actors/characters in this movie and watching him overcome heartbreak and fall in love again is just so sweet to watch. Firth would reprise his role for the Red Nose Day special.

What a Girl Wants. If younger generations were not familiar with Firth they may have been after watching this 2004 teen movie. Firth plays Henry Dashwood, a wealthy lord running for the House of Commons with the promise of becoming Prime Minister. However his past comes back when his long lost daughter Daphne Reynolds (Amanda Bynes) arrives in England to finally meet him. Henry must come to terms with what he really wants, and Daphne might just the key to figuring it all out. Firth is downright hysterical in this movie (there is a scene with him in leather pants, enough said there.) He also comes off as a great father figure to Amanda Bynes’s character. This is a great movie for a girl’s night in.

Nanny McPhee. Like in the previous film Firth plays a father trying to do what is right for his children, but this time he gets a little help. This 2005 film stars Firth as Cedric Brown a widowed undertaker with seven nasty and unruly children during Victorian England. Desperate he hires Nanny McPhee (Emma Thompson) to help take care of his children; which she does with a little magic. Cedric is told by his late wife’s wealthy aunt if he doesn’t marry soon she will take away the children and their home. Firth is pretty funny in this role as he somehow manages to keep the kids under control (some of the time.) Definitely a great family movie to keep an eye on.

Mamma Mia! Firth isn’t much of a singer, but that did not stop him from being cast in this 2008 guilty pleasure musical. Here Firth is Harry Bright, a banker and one of Sophie’s (Amanda Seyfried) possible dads. He seems to want to do the right thing if Sophie is his, and is probably the funnier of the other dads. Despite not having the greatest singing voice (which most of the cast doesn’t) Firth is still an absolute joy to watch. He would reprise his role in the 2018 sequel, and was still just as entertaining.

A Single Man. This 2009 drama based on the best-selling novel might not be as well-known as some of the other films on this list, but it was a major hit for Firth’s career. Nominated for his first Oscar for his part Firth portrays George Falconer a gay professor in 1962 who is struggling with depression after the death of his lover. The film was mostly well received, but the critics agreed that Firth’s performance stood out.

The King’s Speech. If there is one film with Colin Firth that will probably be viewed for many years it will without a doubt be this 2010 historical drama. Based on a true story Firth brilliantly performs as Prince Albert Duke of York, later named King George VI. With the help of his wife, the queen consort Elisabeth (Helena Bonham Carter), King George sees Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) a speech therapist. Seeing Firth’s character struggle with his stutter and the relationship he builds with Lionel is breathtaking, hence why Firth won the Oscar for Best Actor. Many years from now I believe we will look back on this performance as Firth’s best.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. There have been many versions of the famous 1974 novel by John le Carré, but this 2011 film is regarded as one of the better ones. Firth stars as Bill Haydon, the “Tailor” as he along with a team of spies trade secrets during the Cold War. Firth’s character is charming, but like most of the characters in here has a dark side. As stated in another film Firth doesn’t usually portray guys in bad lights, but he still stands out among a star filled cast including Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong and Benedict Cumberbatch.

The Kingsman franchise. When most think action movie star Colin Firth might not be the first or even fifth to come to mind. Yet in the Kingsman films he is not only funny but can kick butt or kill just as good as some of the best action stars (OK I admit it’s over the top but it is expected.) Firth plays Harry Hart aka Galahad, an agent of the Kingsman, an undercover intelligence service. In the 2014 film he recruits the son of a former student, Eggsy (Taron Egerton) to become a Kingsman. He appears to have been killed, but in the sequel, released in 2017, he makes a surprising comeback. While I don’t think Firth is doing action movies anytime soon, this showed he could not only do it, but do it well. Some of the best scenes are him with a straight face responding to a quip with one of his own (makes the scene that much better.)

Colin Firth is without question one of the best actors today and with films coming including Mary Poppins Returns and The Secret Garden his career is not slowing down anytime soon. Happy birthday Colin Firth!

Is there a Colin Firth performance not on this list but should be? What is your favorite film or TV appearance by Firth? Comment below please.

Photo is courtesy of IMDB. No copyright infringement is intended.

Best Movie Musicals Since 2002

The American Film Institute (AFI) released an article in 2006 listing the greatest musicals of all-time. While the films on there are fantastic, some I would even call must watches, the most recent films on there are Moulin Rouge (2001) and Chicago (2002). Surely there have been some good musicals since then right? Here are some musicals released since 2002 that the AFI should consider adding to their greatest musicals list (their IMDB links will also be included). In addition to explaining why the movie is great I will also include which song is the must watch performance of the entire film, along with a link to a YouTube video showcasing the performance.

Dreamgirls. Based on the Broadway musical, this 2006 film was a huge success upon its release. Staring Jamie Foxx, Beyoncé, Eddie Murphy, Anika Noni Rose and the acting debut of Jennifer Hudson Dreamgirls follows a girl group as they try to making it big during the 60’s to 70’s. There is a lot of drama, romance and show-stopping performances to satisfy any musical fan. Hudson would win multiple awards, including an Oscar, for her part while Dreamgirls was nominated for others, including three for Best Original Song. Performance to watch: Jennifer Hudson steals the show with the show stopping climatic number “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going”. Many often say that was the moment Hudson earned her Oscar win.

School of Rock. While this 2003 Jack Black film may be considered more of comedy than musical it doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be considered; it was the highest grossing musical comedy for nearly 12 years. Nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance Black stars as Dewey Finn a wannabe rock star who takes up a substitute teacher at a prep school. Upon discovering his students are musically gifted Finn decides to turn them into a rock group for the upcoming Battle of the Band contest. Black gives one of the best performances of his career whilst also showcasing the incredible young talent of the students. The film was also turned into a Nickelodeon TV series and a Broadway musical. Performance to watch: “The School of Rock” by Black and the kids during the contest. After everything the bad went thru to get to that point it was a rocking number, pun intended.

Once. One of the best reviewed musicals on this list this 2007 film proved that sometimes the unexpected can lead to something wonderful. Staring Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová as people only addressed as Guy and Girl the two of them make beautiful music together. It is obvious how drawn they are to each other, but sadly they cannot be together. The film won the Oscar for Best Original Song whilst inspiring a Tony award winning musical. Performance to watch: the Oscar winning duet “Falling Slowly” often described as “moving” “touching” and “romantic.”

Rent. Most musically adapted films very rarely cast Broadway, but this 2005 adaption of one of the most beloved shows on Broadway proved that Hollywood should take a second look. With Broadway veterans Jesse L. Martin, Idina Menzel, Anthony Rapp and Taye Diggs reprising their roles from the original movie as well as Rosario Dawson the film follows a group of New Yorkers as they live their Bohemian lifestyle: including paying their rent, sexuality and AIDS as they celebrate a new decade. Critics were mixed on the film, but fans of the musical loved it. Performance to watch: with so many incredible performances it is hard to decide, but the opening number “Seasons of Love” featuring the entire cast leaves audiences with goosebumps wanting more.

The Greatest Showman. If there is a soundtrack on here that can leave audiences inspired it might be this 2017 musical. Hugh Jackman stars as P.T Barnum a family man who starts a museum and later brings in people considered to be “freaks” to make it more alive; calling it a circus. Also featuring wonderful performances by Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Zendaya, Keala Settle and Rebecca Ferguson (who doesn’t do her own singing) the movie leaves audiences with warmth in their hearts and songs that will be stuck in their heads for weeks. Performance to watch: while the romantic duet between Efron and Zendaya is beautifully choreographed the must listen too song has to go to “This is Me.” Settle’s voice is not only mesmerizing but the message of being true to oneself is inspiring.

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Inspired by the 1979 Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler Broadway show this 2007 Tim Burton film was one of the most critically acclaimed films of the year, and showed that musicals have a dark side. Starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter and Alan Rickman the film follows Depp’s Sweeney Todd as he takes swears revenge on the man who took him from his family; killing anyone who stands in his way with the help of a widowed pie-maker enamored with him. Audiences thought Depp was perfect as the insane Todd and his singing voice surprised many. The film won an Oscar for its Art Direction and was nominated for two Oscars including one for Depp as Best Actor; it did win two Golden Globes for Depp as Actor in a Comedy/Musical and for Best Comedy/Musical. Performance to watch: “Not While I’m Around” is easily the most famous number in the show and the performance by Carter and the young Edward Sanders can give anyone chills.

La La Land. With so many adaptions out there it seemed that original ideas for musicals had died out, until this 2016 film. Staring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in their musical debuts and a soundtrack mostly written by Pasek and Paul the movie focuses on a jazz singer and actress trying to make it big in Hollywood and fall in love. Those who have watched golden age of Hollywood musicals may see similarities in the dancing, singing and love story, but it doesn’t mean the film isn’t original in its own way. Critics and audiences loved it, with many saying the film brought musicals into a light that hadn’t been seen in many years. It cleaned up at the Oscars, even with the Best Picture screw-up, winning for Best Actress for Stone, Cinematography, Director, Production Design, Score and Song. Performance to watch: Ryan Gosling might not be the best singer in the movie, but the duet he has with Stone “City of Stars” is so beautiful it can easily be forgiven.

Les Misérables. After years in developmental hell the long awaited adaption of the 1980 musical of Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel was released in 2012. The film follows a prisoner Jean Valjean as he breaks parole and goes on the run whilst taking care of the young Cosette. To say it was a huge hit would be an understatement with incomparable performances (acting and singing) by Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway (who won an Oscar for her role), Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne and more. While some singing wasn’t fantastic (Russell Crowe) the fact that the vocal were recorded on set really sets the film apart from other musicals. The story keeps audiences on the edge of their seat and tears in their eyes. Performance to watch: considering the whole movie is the cast singing it would have been difficult to pick one song, but an absolute must watch has got to be Hathaway as Fantine singing “I Dreamed a Dream”; if one doesn’t cry or feel sadness when Hathaway sings this melancholy number they may want to check their pulse.

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast live action adaption. The original AFI list had the 1991 animated film so why shouldn’t a possible expanded list have the 2017 live action version as well? With veteran Broadway/musical actors such as Ewan McGregor, Josh Gad and Audra McDonald performing, as well as surprising singing from Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Emma Thompson Luke Evans and Ian McKellen the adaption of one of Disney’s most beloved movies was embraced by audiences and critics; it currently holds the position of highest grossing musical of all time (animated and live-action). Performance to watch: with many favorites from the original movie returning it is hard to decide what the best song is. However the number audiences might remember the most is Emma Thompson’s take of “Beauty and the Beast”; it is not as well delivered as the Angela Lansbury one we know and love but it is closer to the original than the version sung on the soundtrack by Ariana Grande and John Legend.

The Pitch Perfect franchise. This film series which began in 2012 and has two sequels in 2015 and 2017 respectively gave a whole new perspective to a Capella singing. Each film follows a group called The Barden Bellas as they struggle for redemption and their friendships are tested. With spectacular performances (comedic and singing) by Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Ester Dean, Skylar Astin, Ben Platt, Adam DeVine in the original film and Hailee Steinfeld joining in the sequels the franchise has left a huge mark in the comedy/musical genre; the second film is currently the highest grossing music comedy of all-time, surpassing School of Rock. Performance to watch: regardless if it is the first, second or third one the most entertaining number is usually “The Riff-Off” when the Bellas, their main opposition and other groups singing songs that have to do with a randomly picked category.

Is there a musical missing from this list? Could a yet to be released musical this year (Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga’s version of A Star is Born) or in the future (the planned adaptions of Wicked and remake of West Side Story) might be included in a revived list? Please comment below, and get your singing voices ready.

Image courtesy of Pixabay.

Movie Review: Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

It has been over 10 years since the previous Mamma Mia and took the musical world by storm. Whether it was good or bad people were talking about it; I have often seen it listed as a guilty pleasure film for many. As I mentioned in my review of the first film which you can view here I was looking forward to the sequel but I won’t lie and say I wasn’t concerned that they would mess up with the original story. While the sequel was not perfect and might have messed up the timeline a tiny bit I still very much enjoyed the movie. As this is still in theaters I’m issuing a big spoiler alert. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

Five years after the previous film Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) now runs the hotel after Donna (Meryl Streep) passed away a year ago. She plans a big re-opening of the hotel named after Donna as she prepares along with the staff; including new gloomy manager Fernando Cienfuegos (Andy Garcia), one of her dads/stepfather Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan) who is still grieving Donna’s death and her mom’s closest friend Tanya (Christine Baranski) and Rosie (Julie Walters). Sophie expresses her desire to make her mother proud, but she is also upset because two of her dads Bill (Stellan Skarsgård) and Harry (Colin Firth) cannot make it and Sky (Dominic Cooper) has a job offer in New York; further somewhat straining their relationship. Meanwhile while this is happening the audience travels all the way back to 1979 when Donna (Lily James) graduates from Oxford, along with Tanya (Jessica Keenan Wynn) and Rosie (Alexa Davies). After her mother doesn’t show up for her graduation Donna decides to travel to the island of Kalokairi. While traveling there, and after arriving Donna meets three men that would change her life forever: the quirky Harry (Hugh Skinner), the flirty Bill (Josh Dylan) and the handsome Sam (Jeremy Irvine) I probably shouldn’t go into too much more, but I cannot forget the arrival of Sophie’s estranged grandmother Ruby (Cher)

There have been times when movies get a sequel and they are not really necessary. That is what I originally thought when I heard about this film; however those thoughts were quickly erased from my mind a few moments after Lily James came on the screen. She has recently been an actress I have admired over a few of her films and this role is no exception. I’m sure she felt the pressure of portraying a young version of Meryl Streep (arguably the greatest actress alive today) but I thought she absolutely nailed it in terms of acting and singing. I also very much enjoyed the younger versions of the dads. Skinner, Dylan and Irvine are all very good looking men, their singing voices were better than I thought they were gonna be and their acting was pretty spot one with their older selves; I hope their careers continue to grow after this. Wynn and Davies were perfect as Tanya and Rosie; Davies if I may say had me laughing a little too loud in the theater at times. Of course I cannot forget about the original cast members that returned. Seyfried shined once again as Sophie while Streep’s appearance was brief but nonetheless enjoyable. It was great to see Brosnan, Skarsgård and Firth again; and while some singing has improved it is not by much. Baranski and Walters were just as hilarious as in the first film (Baranski has a line that almost had me falling out of my seat) while Cooper did pretty well as Sky; although I admit his singing voice may have gone down since the first film. Garcia was amusing as Fernando but of course a special spotlight was shined on Cher as Ruby. Whether it is her singing or her acting you cannot take your eyes off of Cher. The writing was pretty good, but I was a little annoyed because how Donna met the guys in the film doesn’t seem to line up with how it was in the original show and movie.

The soundtrack for the movie including many more of ABBA’s greatest hits and I think it might actually be better than the first. Favorites from the first film such as “Mamma Mia” performed by James, Wynn and Davies, “Dancing Queen” by the present cast “I Have a Dream” by James “Waterloo” performed hilariously by James and Skinner “The Name of the Game” by James as she expresses her love for Sam and “Super Trooper” by everyone at the end of the film made their way back, songs from the Broadway show that did not make it to the first film such as “One of Us” performed by Seyfried and Cooper on opposite sides of the world and “Knowing Me Knowing You” performed by James and Irvine as the couple breaks up appeared while new songs were added to tell the past story of Donna as well as the present with Sophie and company. Among the new songs were “Fernando” sung brilliantly by Cher, “Why Did It Have to Be Me” by James, Skinner and Dylan, “Andante Andante” by James, “Angel Eyes” and “I’ve Been Waiting For You” by Seyfried, Walters and Baranski and finally “My Love, My Life” by Streep and Seyfried which may or may not leave a tear in your eye.

Regardless of the small inaccuracies I still loved the sequel I did not know I wanted. While you may not have to watch the original film to understand the sequel it does help a little bit. I will definitely by going again and again to see Mamma Mia Here We Go Again.

Movie Review: Mamma Mia

If there was such a thing as a guilty pleasure musical, this one has to be at the top of the list. Mamma Mia is a fantastic Broadway musical, telling a story with songs from the legendary group ABBA and in 2008 finally came to the big screen, just maybe not in the way fans of the show expected. As always spoiler alert is on. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

20 year old Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) is getting married on the beautiful Greek island of Kalokairi where her mother Donna (Meryl Streep) owns a villa and doesn’t understand why Sophie is marrying so young. Behind her mother’s back, and inadvertently her fiancé’s Sky (Dominic Cooper), Sophie sends invitations to three men: architect Sam Carmichael (Pierce Brosnan), travel writer and sailor Bill Anderson (Stellan Skarsgård) and banker Harry Bright (Colin Firth). After reading her mother’s diary the year she was pregnant, Sophie confide with her friends Ali and Lisa (Ashley Lilley and Rachel McDowall) that she believes one of those three men might be her father and she wants whomever it is to walk her down the aisle. When they arrive Sophie asks them to not tell Donna why they are here or who invited them, saying it is a surprise for her mom, and the guys agree. Donna sees they are there and becomes distraught; confiding in her close friends and former band mates, author Rosie (Julie Walters) and three time divorcee Tanya (Christine Baranski) that she doesn’t know why the men are here nor who is actually Sophie’s father. Soon chaos ensues when all three guys believe they are Sophie’s father and promise to walk her down the aisle, much to her horror. Meanwhile Donna realizes she still has strong feelings for one of the men, Rosie falls for another one of the men while Tanya avoids Pepper (Phillip Michael) one of Sky’s friends who falls hard for her. About as far as I can go without giving away the rest of the movie, but keep an eye out for members of ABBA.

Now I am going to be honest; while the film is not bad, it is not exactly great. Many of the actors in this movie are not trained singers and it shows. Brosnan, Skarsgard and Firth are good actors, but their singing is not good, in Brosnan’s case terrible (sorry but it’s my opinion). Cooper, Walters and Baranski were not fantastic, but they were a lot better than I gave credit for. Seyfried and Streep on the other hand were actually pretty good, not just in acting but in their singing. The film follows the musical very well, not exactly how I remember the show but I knew it wasn’t gonna be word for word. A sequel will be released later this year called Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again, I really hope this is gonna be good. I would recommend Mamma Mia for a musical fan, but I wouldn’t put it too high on a watch list.

Movie Review: Mean Girls

One of the first PG-13 movies I watched in theaters, I went with some of my girlfriends and my dad (who was “thrilled” to take us). However I do not think anyone was prepared for just how big this 2004 movie was going to become, something tells me this will be just as big when I am very old. In case you haven’t seen it, spoiler alert. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) moves from Africa to the United States, specifically Evanston, Illinois. Cady attends high school for the first time and soon learns about cliques from two outcasts, Janis Ian (Lizzy Caplan) who is Goth and Damian Leigh (Daniel Franzese) who is gay. They tell Cady about to avoid the most popular group at school” The Plastics, a trio of girls who are as popular as they are mean. Karen Smith (Amanda Seyfried) the sweet but stupid member, Gretchen Wieners (Lacey Chabert) the spoiled member who just wants acceptance, and finally the leader and what Janis calls evil human form, Regina George (Rachel McAdams). The Plastics invite Cady into their clique which makes Cady popular, although they discourage her from joining the math team despite her exceptional skills according to her teacher Ms. Norby (Tina Fey who also wrote the screenplay). Janis wants to use Cady to gain revenge on Regina for their horrible past, but Cady refuses to go along with the plan at first. Cady falls madly in love with fellow classmate Aaron Samuels (Jonathan Bennett) who happens to be Regina’s ex-boyfriend. When Regina, knowing that Cady is interested, steals Aaron back Cady goes all in on Janis’s plan to destroy Regina by having Cady take over The Plastics, but inadvertently along the way Cady turns out to be much worse than Regina. About as far as I can go without giving away the rest of the movie.

To say that this movie has become a pop culture phenomenon would be an understatement. Everything from the writing to the acting could not have been done better. While Lindsay Lohan was already well known before this movie Mean Girls helped break her out of the Disney mold. McAdams and Seyfried’s careers as well have gone sky high because of this movie. Tina Fey has had success before and after this movie, but this for me is her best film work, not just as an actress but as a writer (notice the key word being film she is still fantastic in television) Other actors such as Bennett, Franzese, Chabert and Caplan haven’t had as much success after Mean Girls, but they have said they are thankful for the movie. The film had a spin off called Mean Girls 2, but it is not really worth watching having only one member from the original film and basically is a poor copy. There is a stage musical coming soon to Broadway with Tina Fey doing the script, so you know it is gonna be good. There have been talks about the official sequel, but until I see an actual trailer I do not believe it. Mean Girls continues to have a huge impact in film and I do not see it going away anytime soon.

Movie Review: Letters to Juliet

Haven’t heard of this film; doesn’t surprise me it is not too well known. It is a little sad because I absolutely love this movie. Admittedly it is predictable and sappy (if you look at the trailer it is easy to figure out), but it is still very enjoyable; plus I am a huge Amanda Seyfried fan. Once again spoilers will be ahead. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.

Fact checker/writer Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) and her fiancé chef Victor (Gael Garcia Bernal) travel to Verona, Italy for a pre-honeymoon. Unfortunately instead of enjoying the city Victor uses the chance to talk to research for his restaurant, much to Sophie’s dismay. Sophie goes sight-seeing on her own and visits Casa de Juliet (Juliet’s House) where she meets The Secretaries of Juliet, women who collect and answer the many letters left for Juliet asking for help (they actually do exist.) While collecting letters, Sophie finds one over 50 years old; a woman named Claire asking for help regarding being forced to leave her love Lorenzo. Sophie writes back, and a short time later Claire (Vanessa Redgrave) arrives with her grandson Charlie (Christopher Egan) to find her Lorenzo (Franco Nero.) Seeing the chance to tell her story Sophie comes along, which Charlie is not happy with; he does not like his grandmother going on a chance. With many Lorenzo’s in the area it takes a long time to find the right one, and along the way Charlie and Sophie’s dislike for each other starts to fade away; and maybe more along the way.

Amanda Seyfried is one of my favorite actresses today and I love her role in this movie; not the first time she’s played a Sophie but that’s another day. What I did not know before I saw the movie was her role as a journalist; which made me love her more as I am a writer. Sophie’s goal to become a writer at the magazine she works for made me understand what she was going through. Her chemistry with Charlie is absolutely adorable, and I do not consider myself a romantic person. I of course cannot forget Vanessa Redgrave and Franco Nero, the real life married couple portraying the long lost lovers; even if you did not know they were married you definitely knew after they found each other. This was one of their first movies after the death of their daughter Natasha Richardson, which made some scenes very difficult; including a scene where Claire brushes Sophie’s hair. On a sad note this was the last movie ever made by director Gary Winick (the director also behind 13 going on 30 and Bride Wars) as he passed away due to brain cancer.

I love this movie so much, yes it is completely predictable but it is very romantic. When it comes on TV I always have to watch it; if I can. Please do not dismiss it as an OK romantic chick flick, please give it a chance. I hope you will like it.