Movie Review: LOVE & OTHER DRUGS

photo © 2008 Nicholas Bufford | more info (via: Wylio)Love & Other Drugs is a miserable, long, annoying exercise in patience. Much like Eat, Pray, Love, this film takes unlikable characters and have them say miserable things to one another and then the movie ends. Unlike EPL, this film doesn't even have the nice scenery to make it mildly diverting - unless you count quite a few segments of nudity as scenery. Why this story was even made into a movie is beyond me, and I would highly suggest avoiding it.

Jamie (Jake Gyllenhaal), a pharmaceutical sales rep meets Maggie (Anne Hathaway), a cynical woman with medical issues. They begin a relationship of sorts that is anything but conventional. This movie is based on a true story, but after doing some research online, I've found that the film is very very very loosely based on actual events. That's not a surprise as so much of the story felt over-the-top and ridiculous. The acting is very good - but the two leads cannot save a script that has them both be unlikable and unrealistic. There is a plot line about a new job, Viagra, and the state of the country's healthcare system, but they don't really impact the story overall.

While the film is under two hours, it felt much longer. At about twenty minutes in, I lost interest. It's so dull it's almost a crime. There isn't a whole lot more to say, other than I highly suggest passing on this waste. It's important to know that this is not a comedy like the marketing may suggest. I would give it a 3 out of 10.

Family Take: There is enough nudity and swearing to earn the R rating - and enough boredom to make kids not want to see it anyways.

If You Like Love & Other Drugs Try: You shouldn't like this - but a much better film about coping with a loved ones disease is Away From Her.