Just Write

Rating:
Summary: Romantic Comedy that Guys can watch
Review: I picked up this film to view because I like Jeremy Piven, and think he's a highly underrated actor in a comedic sense. I was impressed that I was able to sit through a film that was a romantic comedy, since I tend to in general not like the genre. I didn't leave my seat once while this was playing so I could keep with the story, and I even wanted him to get the girl (Lara Flynn Boyle) at the end of the movie. Guys, I recommend you get this film to watch with your ladyfriends. The basis of this film is mistaken identity. Piven plays a character that is essentially a 'nobody'. He drives a tour bus through a residential area of Beverly Hills pointing out the homes of stars for his father's tour company. At a bar that a friend of his is a part time bartender, he meets the actress of his dreams played by Lara Flynn Boyle. She believes him to be a scriptwriter, and gives him the script to an upcoming film of his to rewrite. Piven doesn't know how to tell her that he's not who she thinks he is, so he begins to further complicate matters by building upon the basic lie. Eventually he comes to a point where she will find out the truth, and be prepared to accept the consequences of his charade...however I leave the ending to your imagination, so watch the movie.

Rating:
Summary: Wonderful Movie!
Review: I was surprised at how good Just Write was, since I had never heard of it and it wasn't produced by a major studio. But Sherilyn Fenn (Twin Peaks) and Jeremy Piven (Cupid) made a great couple, and I was really pulling for them to get together.

Piven has more screen time than Fenn (bummer...), but he really did a good job portraying an average guy who happens to meet his favorite actress. He allows her to assume he's a screenwriter and asks him to review a script she has. Through their time together (and they are great together!), they fall for each other.

Sherilyn Fenn was, as usual, very beautiful. However, she brought a very attractive quality to this role (I'll call it "sweetness") that made me want to fall for her as well. She was awesome in this movie. I still don't know how she hasn't become a major star!

If you like Notting Hill, Pretty Woman, While You Were Sleeping, and Sleepless in Seattle, you'll enjoy Just Write. I watched it twice and even fast-forwarded through it a third time to see the scenes with both Fenn and Piven. Highly recommended!

Rating:
Summary: Jeremy Piven is GREAT!!
Review: I've been watching Jeremy Piven since back in his PCU days...he has truly shown his mettle in supporting roles and I was extremely excited when I saw this on the shelf...great story (although a little predictable, but what isn't anymore?) and terrific acting by Piven and Sherilyn Fenn. A must have for aspiring, romantic writers...

Rating:
Summary: Sweet-natured but predictable
Review: This is a gentle, sweet romantic comedy that should have been better. The script could have used some punching up; the Hollywood atmosphere didn't really ring true, despite being filmed on location; the movie references are fun but half-hearted (and the characters are dead wrong about Eve Harrington!); the ending, though the kind of ending we want, is a shambles. What's really good are Piven and Fenn.

Jeremy Piven especially shines as he plays against type as a good-natured, innocent, tee-totalling guy still living under his well-meaning but bumbling father's thumb. I've always thought Piven, playing an overgrown frat-boy type, was the best thing about the TV show "Ellen," and I've enjoyed his underrated turns in other movies where he basically plays the same persona; he pulls off this completely different character type quite nicely. Fenn is lovely and does a good job fleshing our her character as the starlet Piven has a crush on. Their chemistry, especially when they first meet, helps us believe their somewhat unbelievable situation. The movie starts off well but loses steam (and gains some big plotholes). I really wanted the dialogue to be smarter and sharper, and Holland Taylor should have had more to do. But if you like romantic comedy throwbacks (there's nary a drop of sex and practically no profanity--I can't imagine why it's rated PG-13), this will leave you feeling good at the end without feeling guilty about enjoying such fluff.

Rating:
Summary: Sweet-natured but predictable
Review: This is a gentle, sweet romantic comedy that should have been better. The script could have used some punching up; the Hollywood atmosphere didn't really ring true, despite being filmed on location; the movie references are fun but half-hearted (and the characters are dead wrong about Eve Harrington!); the ending, though the kind of ending we want, is a shambles. What's really good are Piven and Fenn.

Jeremy Piven especially shines as he plays against type as a good-natured, innocent, tee-totalling guy still living under his well-meaning but bumbling father's thumb. I've always thought Piven, playing an overgrown frat-boy type, was the best thing about the TV show "Ellen," and I've enjoyed his underrated turns in other movies where he basically plays the same persona; he pulls off this completely different character type quite nicely. Fenn is lovely and does a good job fleshing our her character as the starlet Piven has a crush on. Their chemistry, especially when they first meet, helps us believe their somewhat unbelievable situation. The movie starts off well but loses steam (and gains some big plotholes). I really wanted the dialogue to be smarter and sharper, and Holland Taylor should have had more to do. But if you like romantic comedy throwbacks (there's nary a drop of sex and practically no profanity--I can't imagine why it's rated PG-13), this will leave you feeling good at the end without feeling guilty about enjoying such fluff.

Rating:
Summary: What happens when your way in over your head
Review: This movie is a hidden treasure. I picked this movie up at a video store when it was the new release that they only have one copy of, so you can see what I mean that it went unseen by the public. This is a movie for everyone who has every dreamed of dating an actor or actress and knew they would make a bumbling fool of themselves if they even tried to ask the actor/actress out. It is a light hearted comedy about the plight of a slightly dopey but lovable tour bus driver(Jason Pivens) when he falls in love with a very famous actress and gets himself way in over his head. A definite must see.

Rating:
Summary: Best romantic comedy I've seen so far this year!
Review: This movie is excellent. You will NOT be disappointed when you watch it. Jeremy Piven plays a character whose humble nature and sweet attitude make him a much more endearing character than anything Hugh Grant has played recently (and I loved "Notting Hill"!). You can see how his unassuming manner could easily disarm Ms. Fenn's character. And Sherilyn Fenn's breathtaking smile and incredible eyes make you realize quickly why Piven's character is so taken with her. Although I will admit that the plot has a few...discrepancies in it (I mean, who could actually just walk up to the front door of a movie star's house and ring the doorbell?), but the movie was over all a great romantic comedy, and one of the few that I immediately wanted to rewind and watch again. Now, if only real life were shaped so that a nice guy could meet that wonderful movie star of his dreams... :)

Rating:
Summary: Best romantic comedy I've seen so far this year!
Review: This movie is excellent. You will NOT be disappointed when you watch it. Jeremy Piven plays a character whose humble nature and sweet attitude make him a much more endearing character than anything Hugh Grant has played recently (and I loved "Notting Hill"!). You can see how his unassuming manner could easily disarm Ms. Fenn's character. And Sherilyn Fenn's breathtaking smile and incredible eyes make you realize quickly why Piven's character is so taken with her. Although I will admit that the plot has a few...discrepancies in it (I mean, who could actually just walk up to the front door of a movie star's house and ring the doorbell?), but the movie was over all a great romantic comedy, and one of the few that I immediately wanted to rewind and watch again. Now, if only real life were shaped so that a nice guy could meet that wonderful movie star of his dreams... :)

Rating:
Summary: Who's been hiding this movie from us?
Review: This overlooked charmer achieves the feel-good level that many high-budget romantic comedies strive for...and miss. Sure it requires us to suspend a certain amount of disbelief (A big literary agent with a soft heart? Come on!), but that's part of the fun.

Sherilyn Fenn radiates girl-next-door charm, something she doesn't get to do often enough. Thankfully, she isn't relegated to a role of "dumb starlet," but rather that of a young actor fighting for more quality in her scripts. A look at Ms. Fenn's uneven filmography makes one wonder if she identified a bit with her character, Amanda. This happy, unpretentious film treats her and her fans very well. Such natural talent...and, oh, those eyes!

Jeremy Piven, whose work can sometimes inspire a yawn, shines here. It's difficult to imagine anyone else pulling off this role as well, and we want to cheer for him all the way.

It's even fun to see JoBeth Williams as Amanda's control-freak agent, too busy making deals to worry about pesky things like script quality.

This movie obviously is several years old, and it isn't going to get the marketing spotlight. Like many other reviewers here, I ran across this DVD by accident. My suggestion: Run across it on purpose -- and enjoy.