Let me see: (Meg Ryan) + (Hugh Jackman) + time travel + romantic comedy + A (Sting) song = something definitely magical. But unfortunately, it wasn't!
I'm nuts about the main idea. We have an English prince charming from 1876, who's also the elevator's inventor, so he has both heart and brains (and in Jackman's case, muscles too). As for representing the lost romance and chivalry, it's the perfect character. And when you push him into the future, namely: our world, to love an advertising executive from 2001 (America's sweetheart Ryan), then it's the perfect idea. However, the "world" of this movie was very scanty.
Mainly, look at the dramatic conflict. In fact, there isn't one. Is it about a hard love story? Since (Ryan)'s boyfriend left her from the start, so falling for the good-looking, well-bred, mugger-chaser inventor would be not only easy, but axiomatic. So, is it about the endless ironies between the old age, and the new age's technology? No, since the movie summarized it in a brief sequence. So, is it about the deep irony between a romantic age, and a phony materialistic one? Maybe, but they did it simply through the making of the TV commercial. Generally, (Kate & Leopold) looked like another angel-in-our-home kind of movie, where one visitor gives ultimate happiness to his troubled hosts, then leaves. But did that benefit whether the comic, or the romantic part?! I think NOT.
Although the main irony is super, but the movie's ironies weren't. The comedy was careless; I can't remember one laughable situation (a dog's excrement isn't funny, rather anything excrement-related ISN'T FUNNY!). Even in terms of seriousness, the dialogue was untalented, except for the monologue of (Liev Schreiber) character at the hospital which was philosophically well put, but surpassed anything that was written for any other character, hence its high level exposed all the low level of the rest of the dialogue. I didn't feel the love story between the title's characters, or the urgency of its impossibility. All what we had was just light touches that didn't convince me; like the swift story of the unseen lonely neighbor, the love story of the heroine's brother (that we witnessed on the phone!), or the concept of capturing the time, because this criminally hasty script just wasted it all.
Look at what sounded as brilliant situations like stopping all the world's elevators; despite the imaginative spirit, the script didn't go with it to anywhere, so what about this unique romance between 2 persons from 2 ages?! Therefore the ending was too happy and dreamy to fabricated extent, without much of details or difficulties. So - as a whole - it went astray without strong feelings, or good meanings. And the romance eventually seemed superficial.
Director (James Mangold) was executing a bland TV episode. I felt fake tenderness from him. Especially when the only romantic scene, the waltz, was just accumulated well-arranged shots without effective emotions. Yes, the smooth cinematography and the warm lighting were a bit sentimental at that scene, but the final result was cold.
This can't compete with (Ryan)'s nice legacy of romantic comedies (it can't compete with the standard of its idea!). So (Ryan)'s as (Kate) didn't give us anything new, since the script didn't give her anything. And while (Jackman) seems so fit for (Leopold), he had the same dilemma. His role's type was attractive, yet not the role in particular. That's why these 2 lead actors were like 2 clever singers in such a poor duet. It's pathetic to watch shining stars like them, with possible chemistry, starring a movie that's suffering of self-induced abortion!
I hated (Schreiber), despite whatever he could reach, he got nothing to do with a romantic comedy, let alone being younger than (Ryan). I hated dealing with (Sting)'s masterpiece (Until), which was nominated for an Oscar, by putting it only at the closing credits, plus not even using its fascinating melody into the movie's music score the way (John Williams) did in (Sabrina - 1995)'s soundtrack with another (Sting)'s masterpiece (Moonlight). I just liked most of (Meg)'s chic clothes; they were cuter than the movie itself!
I'm sad to say it, but as a romantic comedy it lacks romance and comedy. It was all out of keeping with (Sting)'s (Until) which was more adept than the whole thing. It's deplorable to listen to it, and imagine a better movie for it!
I'm nuts about the main idea. We have an English prince charming from 1876, who's also the elevator's inventor, so he has both heart and brains (and in Jackman's case, muscles too). As for representing the lost romance and chivalry, it's the perfect character. And when you push him into the future, namely: our world, to love an advertising executive from 2001 (America's sweetheart Ryan), then it's the perfect idea. However, the "world" of this movie was very scanty.
Mainly, look at the dramatic conflict. In fact, there isn't one. Is it about a hard love story? Since (Ryan)'s boyfriend left her from the start, so falling for the good-looking, well-bred, mugger-chaser inventor would be not only easy, but axiomatic. So, is it about the endless ironies between the old age, and the new age's technology? No, since the movie summarized it in a brief sequence. So, is it about the deep irony between a romantic age, and a phony materialistic one? Maybe, but they did it simply through the making of the TV commercial. Generally, (Kate & Leopold) looked like another angel-in-our-home kind of movie, where one visitor gives ultimate happiness to his troubled hosts, then leaves. But did that benefit whether the comic, or the romantic part?! I think NOT.
Although the main irony is super, but the movie's ironies weren't. The comedy was careless; I can't remember one laughable situation (a dog's excrement isn't funny, rather anything excrement-related ISN'T FUNNY!). Even in terms of seriousness, the dialogue was untalented, except for the monologue of (Liev Schreiber) character at the hospital which was philosophically well put, but surpassed anything that was written for any other character, hence its high level exposed all the low level of the rest of the dialogue. I didn't feel the love story between the title's characters, or the urgency of its impossibility. All what we had was just light touches that didn't convince me; like the swift story of the unseen lonely neighbor, the love story of the heroine's brother (that we witnessed on the phone!), or the concept of capturing the time, because this criminally hasty script just wasted it all.
Look at what sounded as brilliant situations like stopping all the world's elevators; despite the imaginative spirit, the script didn't go with it to anywhere, so what about this unique romance between 2 persons from 2 ages?! Therefore the ending was too happy and dreamy to fabricated extent, without much of details or difficulties. So - as a whole - it went astray without strong feelings, or good meanings. And the romance eventually seemed superficial.
Director (James Mangold) was executing a bland TV episode. I felt fake tenderness from him. Especially when the only romantic scene, the waltz, was just accumulated well-arranged shots without effective emotions. Yes, the smooth cinematography and the warm lighting were a bit sentimental at that scene, but the final result was cold.
This can't compete with (Ryan)'s nice legacy of romantic comedies (it can't compete with the standard of its idea!). So (Ryan)'s as (Kate) didn't give us anything new, since the script didn't give her anything. And while (Jackman) seems so fit for (Leopold), he had the same dilemma. His role's type was attractive, yet not the role in particular. That's why these 2 lead actors were like 2 clever singers in such a poor duet. It's pathetic to watch shining stars like them, with possible chemistry, starring a movie that's suffering of self-induced abortion!
I hated (Schreiber), despite whatever he could reach, he got nothing to do with a romantic comedy, let alone being younger than (Ryan). I hated dealing with (Sting)'s masterpiece (Until), which was nominated for an Oscar, by putting it only at the closing credits, plus not even using its fascinating melody into the movie's music score the way (John Williams) did in (Sabrina - 1995)'s soundtrack with another (Sting)'s masterpiece (Moonlight). I just liked most of (Meg)'s chic clothes; they were cuter than the movie itself!
I'm sad to say it, but as a romantic comedy it lacks romance and comedy. It was all out of keeping with (Sting)'s (Until) which was more adept than the whole thing. It's deplorable to listen to it, and imagine a better movie for it!