Goolphipp Award: 2.75 (See the Cheap Matinee)
Goolsby:
Goolphipp has been to Ireland. That is the main reason we wanted to see this movie. We wanted an Ireland fix. We got what we wanted, but I might say we were both a bit frustrated. I have two problems with this movie: geography and shoes. I had a hard time following the logic that went behind Anna, played by Amy Adams, and her crazy journey. If she hired a boat from Wales to take her to Ireland - with the goal of getting to Dublin, then why in the world was she diverted in a storm to Dingle?! How does that even happen. Maybe my lack of sea skills and knowledge is to blame, but this just doesn't make sense. This whole issue would have been rectified if they could have put in a little map overlay that showed her journey points- like Indiana Jones style. Then the shoes! Oh gosh, how in the world would a fashion forward woman only bring one pair of shoes, and high heels at that? She knows it rains in Ireland, are high heels a good choice? No! This may seem like a ridiculous complaint (more so for our male readers) but traipsing around country roads in Ireland with 3 inch heels is not even feasible or possible! We know!
Okay, so after my some what long rant, lets point out some other things. I loved the portrayal of Ireland. I thought it was true to how the people and land actually are. I loved the old men in the pub, and I loved seeing the picturesque landscapes. I thought Matthew Goode played a good Irish lad named Declan. He did a good job hiding his British accent from an American's ear perspective. I thought that Adams and Goode gave great lovesick performances. We saw Goode this weekend in Watchmen and were surprised to see him without facial hair.
On another note, this movie is predictable, but you know what I say, what movie isn't? I think for the most part, any romantic comedy is predictable, and I'm fine with that. There are other good reasons to see this movie, the Irishness.
Goolsby overall: 3
Go for Ireland.
Phipps:
Boy meets girl...and poof! They fall in love. That's a romantic comedy. And this one is no different. I read a review before I saw this movie that said (paraphrasing), "the animosity between Matthew Goode and Amy Adams is too believable, and makes the idea of love between them ridiculous." And I agree...the animosity between them was believeable, but I disagree with the believeability of falling in love with someone that gets under your skin. Remember grade school? Fight one day, and in love the next. I felt the bonding moments were significant enough push Declan and Anna past the animosity. As a kid who has been to Ireland, the countryside does cast a spell over you...add in a good-lookin' bloke...well, what more do you need? And honestly, I loved the scene where Declan and Anna made dinner at the B&B. Never underestimate cooking as a bonding tool. At any rate, I believed it enough.
But I stand by what Goolsby said, the shoes Amy Adams wore were impossible. Who only packs one pair of shoes? Not any girls I know. Now lets talk about the geography craziness! I swear someone thought we were really stupid when they were writing this movie. It just wasn't explained at all. You'd think that if they hit a storm, they would just fly into Shannon Airport on the West coast of Ireland - it's closer than Wales. Anyone that knows anything about where things are in Ireland and the U.K. will be thoroughly turned-around.
Okay, but my complaints aside, it was still a decent watch. It was fun to see Ireland again. It was fun to see the bits of culture these filmmakers got right. I came out of the movie with a hankering for a properly poured Guinness.
Phipps overall: 2.5
Decent...but the geography drove me to distraction.
