someonelikeyou

Someone Like You

2 ½ stars (out of 5)
What has happened to the romantic comedy in the last few years? Once the bastion
of the studio system, the genre has been denuded to such an extent that middling
fare is attempting to pass as high art. The generically titled Someone Like You,
adapted from Laura Zigman's popular novel Animal Husbandry, is a most recent
example. While a perfectly pleasant film, it is nothing more than a B picture
masquerading as an A movie.
The story is fairly standard for this type of motion picture. Girl meets boy, girl falls in
love, girl gets dumped, girl meets new guy but there are complications. In this case
the heroine is Jane Goodale (Ashley Judd), a booker for a TV talk show hosted by a
somewhat prickly woman (Ellen Barkin). Jane is unattached until she meets the
show's new producer Ray (Greg Kinnear) and before you can say "fire drill", sparks are
flying between them. Even though he is on the rebound from a bad breakup, Ray
pursues Jane and they are soon discussing moving in together. Of course, Ray will
back down, but not before Jane has given notice on her Brooklyn Heights apartment.
Obviously upset, she tries to come to terms with the breakup and chances upon a
newspaper article about the mating rituals of cows. Her curiosity piqued, she decides
that further investigation is required.
In the meantime, there's the issue of where to live. Jane reluctantly agrees to move
in her womanizing co-worker Eddie Alden (Hugh Jackman), in part to observe him and
test out her newfangled theories. When she confesses her ideas to her friend Liz
(Marisa Tomei), who happens to work at a men's magazine, Liz gets the bright idea
of having Jane write a piece about her ideas. Together they concoct an alter ego -- a
respected, sixtyish psychologist. Her "Old Cow, New Cow" theory is published and like
many a fad, becomes an overnight sensation. (Basically, the idea goes something like
this: Once a bull has mated with a cow, he will not repeat the action. The female
then becomes the Old Cow, and the bull moves on the next conquest -- the "New
Cow". Jane extrapolated that Ray was the bull, she was the new cow who is now the
old cow and Ray is ready to move on to someone else new.) Of course, there's flawed
logic at work and that's at the heart of the film's resolution, which frankly felt all
wrong and way too obvious. Jane finds renewed love, but that relationship feels
forced.
The actors struggle gamely through the rather pedestrian screenplay. Director Tony
Goldwyn who made his debut with the fine A Walk on the Moon falls prey to
sophomoritis -- the tendency for directors to not capitalized on their strengths with
their second film. Goldwyn tries to apply a light touch, but the schematic script by
Elizabeth Chandler defeats him. Ashley Judd is a bit too intense for the leading role
which cries out for someone a bit looser, say a Sandra Bullock. Greg Kinnear has got
the smarmy cad role almost down to a science and he does yeoman work, but it's
nothing new. If he's not careful, these will be the only roles he gets relegated to
playing. Hugh Jackman almost manages to make Eddie a full-bodied person. This
attractive Australian holds the screen whenever he's in a scene and it will only be a
matter of time before he lands the breakout role he deserves. After this film and
What Women Want, Marisa Tomei should perhaps consider finding a new agent -- one
who will find a good, strong role for this underrated actress. Similarly, Ellen Barkin is
virtually wasted as the somewhat shrewish talk show host.
The treacly soundtrack includes the sappy title song and an end title number written
and sung by Judd's sister Wynonna. (Her mother Naomi also makes a brief
appearance as a makeup artist.) Except for the fine lensing of cinematographer
Anthony B Richmond and the costumes by Ann Roth and Michelle Maitlin, Someone
Like You is as bland as its title.

MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for sexual content including dialogue, and for some language)