|
BORN ROMANTIC Send This Review to a Friend
This British import grows in impact as it races along and we get to know more intimately the characters thrashing around in London trying to find relationships against a background of previous failures. They are an entertaining lot, whose lives connect through an interest in dancing to salsa, which also provides the entanglements with a rhythmic beat. "Born Romantic" is ultimately an appealing, warm film that works up sympathy for its lost souls and a hope that they can somehow connect and find themselves and their appropriate mates in the wacky situations that arise.
Mugging your intended is not exactly the way to win her heart. Yet that's the hot water Eddie the thief (Jimi Mistry) finds himself in when he is wooing Jocelyn (Catherine McCormack), who tends graves and is bundle of nerves and fearfulness about relationships and life in general. He mistakenly targets her in a robbery and she recognizes him. Fergus (David Morrissey) has a different problem. He believes he made a terrible mistake when he walked out on Mo (Jane Horrocks), the love of his life, but she is giving him a rough time even though tempted. The most interesting combination is Frankie (Craig Ferguson) and Eleanor (Olivia Williams). While Frankie is still living with his nasty ex-wife, he starts to pursue Eleanor, but she doesn't see any future in the relationship, yet his charming pursuit itself is getting to her.
The unifying thread running through the maze is Jimmy (Adrian Lester), the black driver of a cab, who seems always on hand when the other characters need a ride. He listens to their troubles, knows a lot about them and dispenses his wisdom. He's sort of an angel on wheels, but he is also hurting as a result of the loss of his wife and needs to move on and find his own path to happiness. The part is contrived to say the least, but the talented Lester, a very hot actor at the moment, brings humanity and pleasantness to the role so that we can accept the conceit.
The film was written and directed by David Kane, who infuses it with humor throughout, and the cast choices account for the rest of the pleasure. "Born Romantic" is what we have come to call a little film, but it is amusingly endearing. An MGM release.
|