Hope Springs

Rating:
Summary: Dull ... and Contrived Romantic Comedy with Colin Firth
Review: You may not know the original writer Charles Webb, or his book 'New Cardiff' on which this romantic comedy is based. Actually, he wrote the original book of 'The Graduate' which made one Dustin Hoffman many years ago. But the wit and irony found in the classic is not to be found here. It's just lamentably ... dull.

Dull is the word. Well, things happen, but not credible way. Talented (and often underrated) Colin Firth is artist Colin, Englishman flying from his home to a small New England town un USA, after the break-up with his long-standing girlfriend Vera. He rents a room in this quiet, sleeping town of Hope (with Oliver Platt at Town Hall), and starts drawing again.

And a new girl knocks on the door; Mandy (Heather Graham), a 'carer' who, with her all good intentions, tries to 'heal' him. Not bad for Colin, especially when she is winsome Heather Graham, even when she drinks a bottle of some brown liquid in car, and starts to act differently.

Then, as you know, ex-love Vera shows up again, to form a love-triangle in which Colin thinks he is trapped. (But when vera is Minnie Driver, how could he complain of that?)

I don't know why, but the film never loses the unnatural feeling. The characters are meant for laugh, or smile, but they never make me so. One example: in one scene, Colin hears someone knocking on the door. He thinks it's his new love Mandy, but of course, it's Vera. Then, to make us laugh (I think), Colin starts dancing behind the door before opening it like an exotic dancer! It's to suprise her, but well, we are surprised, in another meaning.

The film is full of this kind of contrived, ofren impossible events. The only natural acting comes from Mary Steenburgen's peeping and meddling Inn owner (with good intention). When you see TWO of the female characters in underwear to impress the characters's sexual appeal, you know something is wrong with the film, or its poor script. I'm talking about Heather and Minnie, and yes, I enjoyed it watching, I confess, but that's definitely not a way to create lively characters.