Touchstone and Beyond: "A Lot Like Love"
Marquee Attraction: A Lot Like Love
Release Date: April 22, 2005
Budget: $30 million
Domestic Box Office Gross: $21,845,719
Worldwide Box Office Gross: $42,886,719
Plot Synopsis
Emily and Oliver meet on a flight to New York City. After a fling in the plane’s bathroom, they once again rendezvous in the Big Apple and spend the day together. Neither wants a relationship to develop, but Oliver makes a bet with her to call him in six years, and he will have achieved his plan for success.
Three years later, Emily calls, Oliver is not a success, and he lives with his parents. They date briefly, but Oliver moves to San Francisco and Emily is left trying to start her life. The years go by and as Oliver and Emily get older, they start to realize that they both love each other. The only problem is, can they admit their feelings before it is too late.
After going broke with his diaper service company, Oliver decides to tell Emily how he feels, but it might be too late. He makes the big romantic move to show he cares, but Emily is happily engaged.
Or is she? Did Oliver make his move in time?
Standing Ovation
Amanda Peet is simply magnetic on the screen. She covers the different years of Emily’s growth with skill and talent that makes us believe we are seeing the acquired wisdom of someone who has lived and learned from their mistakes. Peet is a presence on the screen whether she is talking or simply giving facial responses to her costars. Every moment that Amanda Peet is on screen makes this movie better. Thankfully, Peet is on screen almost all the time.
Time for the Hook
Kal Penn’s character Jeeter. He is Oliver’s compatriot at the company. He’s a fast talker, and one dimensional. I would have loved to have seen more from him, other than a get rich quick type of side character.
Bit Part Player
On the flight back from New York, Oliver and Jeeter meet someone who is only listed in the cast as Hot Girl. She is played by none other than Meghan Markle. She doesn’t have any impact on the film, but thanks to marrying into the British Royal Family, every appearance on screen she makes is memorable.
Did You Know?
- The movie had an opening weekend gross of over seven and half million dollars.
- The movie was nominated for four Teen Choice Awards, with Ashton Kutcher winning for Choice Movie Rockstar Moment when he sings to Amanda Peet in the courtyard.
- This was Meghan Markle’s film debut.
- The director of the film, Nigel Cole, can be heard speaking to Emily during her audition.
- Roger Ebert, famed film critic, listed this film on his ‘Most Hated’ list. Roger is VERY wrong about the movie.
- Ebert lambasted Kutcher’s performance and described how Peet’s screen persona was so strong that it made Kutcher fade into the background. I do agree about Peet, she is phenomenal.
- The film was often compared to When Harry Met Sally, which I think is very unfair. These are two very different movies.
- Norman Reedus plays the boyfriend who drops Emily off at the airport at the start of the movie.
Best Quotable Line
“Don’t, you’ll ruin it." This is spoken by both Oliver and Emily, and it’s a great line. Sometimes, it’s best to stay quiet and savor what you have, without commentary.
Bill’s Hot Take
Ashton Kutcher is not a likeable lead actor for me, but the chemistry he has with Peet makes his performance one of a kind.
Casting Call
- Ashton Kutcher as Oliver
- Amanda Peet as Emily
- Kathryn Hahn as Michelle
- Ali Larter as Gina
- Kal Penn as Jeeter
- Jeremy Sisto as Ben
Production Team
Directed by Nigel Cole
Produced by Touchstone Pictures / Mile High Productions / Beacon Pictures
Written by Colin Patrick Lynch
My Critical Response
{Snub-Skip this Film, Lifeboat Award-Desperate for Something to Watch, Commuter Comforter-A Perfect Film for Any Device, Jaw Dropper- You Must Watch This Film on a Big Screen, Rosebud Award- This Film is Cinema.}
It takes an incredibly well constructed romantic comedy to keep me hooked, and A Lot Like Love had me from the first moment of the film. There is something about the presence of Ashton Kutcher and Amanda Peet that held my attention and made me what to watch.
Kutcher usually does not appeal to me. I think his success with this film is that Oliver is often sparse in his communication. Oliver is reluctant, and thoughtful. This was a nice change of pace from his usual over the top performances.
Amanda Peet is the lynchpin of the film. She is charismatic, confident, and also incredibly beautiful. This transpires from his presence to her demeanor, that allows the viewers to love Emily and want to yell at Oliver to see the most amazing person ever in the form of Emily.
A Lot Like Love is one of those rare films of beauty that doesn’t have a world changing story, nor does it have an impact on society. The film feels like a real story about awkward people who try to find themselves. We don’t get films like this anymore.
A Lot Like Love gets my Rosebud Award. This is cinema and Roger Ebert may have disliked the film with passion, but I love it.
Coming Soon
Next week, a look back at the Gary Marshall drama, The Other Sister.