New Year's Eve

http://newyearsevemovie.warnerbros.com/index.html

How's this for a strange twist of fate? My last movie review of 2011 (I know it's now 2012 but this is my last review of a film I saw in 2011) is New Year's Eve, and I saw it on the last day of 2011, New Year's Eve.

I knew from the moment I saw the trailer that despite the film looking like it might be terrible, I would end up seeing this with one of my best girl friends. And I did, during my Christmas break up to the north west of England.

The film, as you might have guessed, is set on New Year's Eve in one of the most spectacular locations for a New Year's Eve movie to be set, New York City. As Stan Harris says at one point in the trailer, "nothing beats New York on New Year's Eve". We have the ball dropping at Times Square, two pregnant women dropping at a nearby hospital, midnight kisses, chance encounters, rock stars, a dying man's last wish and one night to make all your new year's resolutions come true. The star studded cast take you on a whirlwind journey of New York on New Year's Eve.

I must admit that after my cinema buddy saw it and told me how terrible it was I was not holding out any high expectations for New Year's Eve. And I did think that it would pass by without me getting to see it. But a well timed showing fit with our plans and et voila, New Year's Eve on New Year's Eve actually happened. And you know what? It wasn't all that bad. 

Sure the cast is ridiculous. You thought there were a lot of famous people in Valentines Day or New York I Love You? Well that's nothing compared to this. I don't think I've seen a cast list this long since Harry Potter. And to be honest, it's unnecessary. Some of these roles could have been given to unknown actors or lesser known character actors and it wouldn't have made the slightest difference to the film, other than you wouldn't be playing 'spot the celebrity' every time the scene changed. I'm not saying anyone is particularly bad, it's just overkill on the famous actor front.

The thing that is most obvious, with all these famous types running around and with so many story changes, is that very few of the actors have chemistry. Not really through any fault of their own but they have so little time to become acquainted with one-another that it's hard to build rapport and in turn, chemistry. I also find it unbelievable that Ashton Kutcher would be best friends with Zac Efron or that Zac Efron would even contemplate snogging Michelle Pfeiffer (especially as the latter looks so haggard in this film). 

But you are right in thinking I said that this film wasn't all that bad. And it really wasn't. It was a light, fluffy, not too demanding film that kept me entertained for the 2 hours it was on. 6 out of 10.

Viewing Date - 31st December 2011

UK Release Date - 8th December 2011

Cast Overview:

Halle Berry ~ Nurse Aimee

Jessica Biel ~ Tess Byrne

Jon Bon Jovi ~ Jensen

Abigail Breslin ~ Hailey

Chris "Ludacris" Bridges ~ Brendan

Robert De Niro ~ Stan Harris

Josh Duhamel ~ Sam

Zac Efron ~ Paul

Hector Elizondo ~ Kominsky

Cary Elwes ~ Stan's Doctor

Katherine Heigl ~ Laura

Ashton Kutcher ~ Randy

Seth Meyers ~ Griffin Byrne

Alyssa Milano ~ Nurse Mindy

Lea Michele ~ Elise

Sarah Jessica Parker ~ Kim

Michelle Pfeiffer ~ Ingrid

Hilary Swank ~ Claire Morgan

Director ~ Garry Marshall

Writer ~ Katherine Fugate

I Don't Know How She Does It

http://howshedoesitmovie.com/

On seeing the trailer for this film I said to my cinema buddy "that looks rubbish, but I'll probably end up seeing it." As it turns out, I was right, as it did look rubbish and I did end up seeing it. Most readers will not be surprised that I went to see this film but I'll go on record now and admit I'm not the biggest Sarah Jessica Parker fan in the world. I like Sex And The City, like most girls, but it took me a long time to get on board with it. If I'm honest, my problem with SJP is that I don't really know if she can cut it when she's not playing Carrie? 

I didn't like The Family Stone, Failure To Launch was okay, and I didn't even bother with Smart People or Did You Hear About The Morgans? But as my best friend of the north is the biggest SATC fan there is I felt I owed it to her to see (and review) this film. Fortunately for me, my best friend of the south has as much of a weakness as I do for chick flicks and agreed, along with my cinema buddy, to accompany me to see the movie.

I Don't Know How She Does It is based on a novel of the same name by Allison Pearson (I can feel this being added to the book club wish list already). It tells the story of Kate (SJP), a working mother who lets the world have an insight into how she juggles her career, working in Boston's financial district, her 2 kids, her husband, their nanny, her boss, possible promotion, school bake sales, head lice... you name it and she deals with it. Interviews with her friends and colleagues help to narrate the story but we also have Kate narrating (which is a bit Carrie!) and telling us about the lists of things she needs to do, that keep her awake at night. Will she be able to keep all her balls in the air (pardon the expression), or will her juggling act prove that she was just a clown all along?

The idea of the film (and I'm guessing the book too) is to show how one particularly organised mother of 2 manages to hold down a full time job. The reality is a film which tells us that the key to success are endless lists which you write on the bedroom ceiling, in your mind. Err okay. You also need an under-appreciated nanny, an assistant who it appears does all of your work for you and husband who never suspects you of having an affair no matter how many 'business trips' and 'late nights at the office' you have. Oh and you need to have the ability to ignore the blatant 'come on's of your boss. Mmmm.

One of my problems with the film were the 'interviews' with friends and colleagues. This suggested the film would be a 'documentary' style with Kate as the subject, but then the rest of the film just didn't fit with that at all. Plus, not only does Kate's stop time narration go against the idea of her being the subject, as I said in the synopsis, it also feels a bit too 'Carrie'. 

The film is also highly unbelievable, maybe because it's trying so hard to be 'real'? But somehow, despite the unrealistic nature of the storyline, the film doesn't come across all that badly. I would suggest this is down to the performances, but as two of the three leads are Sarah Jessica Parker and Pierce Brosnan I don't think this can be right? In truth I don't know how it works or why it works, but on some level it does work. Sarah Jessica Parker does have chemistry with both Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear, and while I'm not her biggest fan, she is relatively convincing as a mother struggling to keep it all together. 

It's not going to win any awards (and if it does I may kill myself) but it's watchable, with likable characters and it doesn't require the use of too much brain power. So ladies, if you want to just veg in front of a film after a long hard day of 'real' work, you won't go too far wrong with this. 

Better than it looked but still not great. Watchable 6.5 out of 10.

Viewing Date ~ 18th September 2011

UK Release Date ~ 16th September 2011

Cast Overview:

Sarah Jessica Parker ~ Kate Reddy

Pierce Brosnan ~ Jack Abelhammer

Greg Kinnear ~ Richard Reddy

Christina Hendricks ~ Allison Henderson

Kelsey Grammer ~ Clark Cooper

Seth Meyers ~ Chris Bunce

Olivia Munn ~ Momo Hahn

Busy Philipps ~ Wendy Best

Jessica Szohr ~ Paula

Director ~ Douglas McGrath

Writer(s) ~ Aline Brosh McKenna (Screenplay) and Allison Pearson (Novel)