Love Happens is a movie about a young widower who delivers seminars to other bereaved people to help them to get on with their lives. He succeeds very well with them but not very well with his own grief, which is buried in hustle and bustle and whirlwind tours. His handlers are trying to squeeze every ounce of money they can out of his superstar status and he goes along with this but only with passing interest. Aaron Eckhart is the superstar of the bereaved who runs into hotel rooms grinning broadly as he bounds up onto the stage to deliver his inspirational message. He is a household name but under it all, he is a lonely guy who never really made the transition from the grieving widower to some semblance of normality, even after three years. Jennifer Aniston is a florist in Seattle who happens to be in a hotel when he gives one of his motivational shows. The two strike up a relationship that leads to love but her role lacks depth. The far more effective actors are in the supporting roles: Dan Fogler, Martin Sheen and John Carroll Lynch. The three actors give the movie the real punch with Fogler supplying an extra dose of humour. Eckhart has the persona for the leading role and shows the nice guy he really is under the trappings of the showman. John Carroll Lynch gives a great performance as a bereaved parent, who at first is reluctant to even try to help himself. Martin Sheen is the father in law who sees through the charade. Sheen is a great actor who has taken on so many roles over the years and whose life is more about the man than the celebrity; he makes this role all the more believable. I was pleasantly surprised by this movie and recommend it.
Review of Love Happens
