The story opens in the present with Charlie scanning the frozen plains near Wichita, Kansas while he waxes philosophical about the possibility of pulling of the perfect crime. As the film flashes back to the previous day in which the story unfolds you’ll soon realize that Charlie’s definition of “perfect†is about as accurate as that of a drunken frat boy wearing…
First, I’ll admit to you I’m not a huge fan of musicals—much less musicals on film. In numbers like “Light My Candle,” the songwriting falls into that abysmal style of reciting actions as they’re being depicted on screen. Roger and Mimi share an unnecessary exchange in song, “Oh the wax, it’s dripping/I like it between my…/fingers.” When Marc describes to Maureen’s new girlfriend, Joanne (Tracie Thorns), the…
Chris Brander (Ryan Reynolds) is an overweight, sensitive and genuinely caring kind of guy. In 1995, during his senior year, Chris (who is overweight and must wear the dreaded, heinous dental retainer) finally works up the courage (sort of) to finally reveal to his long-time friend, Jamie Palomino (Amy Smart) that he’s in love with her. He writes her a card, “Dear Jamie, I feel like we’re not just in high school, but like we’re in our own Chris and Jamie world.” Chris takes the card to a …
The Beardsleys have just moved in after the father gets the latest of many transfers in his duty as an Admiral of the U.S. Coast Guard. They have family drills, scheduled bathroom usage, and some of the kids refer to their father as “Admiral.” By contrast, the North children express themselves through song, or painting the roses in the garden bed…