LETTERS TO JULIET

RYAN: Letters to Juliet is a romantic dramedy starring one of our favorite up-and-coming actresses, Amanda Seyfried. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – she looks like she could be your sister.

CAROLINE: Thanks, honey! She’s so pretty. And no joke, I freaking loved this movie.

RYAN: I really did too. It’s, in a word, delicious. It’s the kind of movie where every time you see someone eating something, you wish you were eating it too, and everywhere they go, you want to go too. I wish they would do a remake of this movie starring me.

CAROLINE: [laughs’ I would pay to see that, honey. This movie is truly a feast for the eyes and all the senses. If only it had been in 3D. Based on the trailer, I was prepared for it to be over-the-top cheesy. But it was so well written and well acted, and overall surprisingly good.

RYAN: This movie made me misty twice, and I know I heard you sniffling next to me.

CAROLINE: Oh, totally. I almost went into a full-on weep.

RYAN: That really caught me off guard because I wasn’t expecting to get so swept up in the story. But mission accomplished.

CAROLINE: I am admittedly the exact target audience for this movie. I love this genre and it’s so up my alley, so I’ll be the first to admit that this a total chick flick. I’m sure some will find it lame and cheesy. But I so didn’t care. I loved every frame. It got better and more gorgeous as it went along too. Can you imagine being the person who got to do the location scouting for this movie?!

RYAN: That is seriously a dream job. It’s shot all over Tuscany and in Verona, of course, where Juliet lived. It’s such a gorgeous movie. And Amanda Seyfried is great; she’s really an It Girl right now. And we already knew she looked great on location thanks to Mamma Mia! I really liked her leading man too, even though I know it took you a while to come around on him.

CAROLINE: I didn’t like him at first because he’s a blond, and I’m so not into blonds. But I did come around on him by the end; which is pretty much the point of his character because he starts off as a jackass.

RYAN: And hello, Vanessa Redgrave! A woman of a certain age has never looked better. And what a phenomenal performance.

CAROLINE: She is so beautiful, and her acting is flawless and effortless. Every emotion that could have been conveyed in a cheesy or over-the-top way is delivered with perfect subtlety. It’s truly a great performance. I could even see her getting nominated for an Oscar for this, if the critics are able to take the movie seriously.

RYAN: Well, she’s already gotten six nominations and she’s pretty much Hollywood royalty, so why not? It makes me so sad that she never made it into a Harry Potter film.

CAROLINE: Gael García Bernal plays Amanda’s egocentric fiancé; their relationship totally reminded of Carrie and Aleksandr Petrovsky. The only thing that bummed me out in this movie is Amanda Seyfried’s wardrobe. So drab and not cute.

RYAN: Yeah, her outfits were kind of bland and unremarkable. I wanted something cuter for her amazing bod.

CAROLINE: I mean, she plays a fact checker at a magazine who lives in NYC, and her character would clearly be broke, so I guess I appreciate the realism. But did they have to consistently dress her in such boring, unflattering neutrals? I know it would have been totally unrealistic, but I wanted her outfits to be as amazing as Cameron Diaz’s were in The Holiday.

— BOTTOM LINE —

RYAN: It’s a movie that’s perfect in its own way. If you love romantic comedies like we do, this is a great hybrid of both drama, comedy and unabashed romance. Whether you’re in love or you want to be, you’ll totally get swept up in this movie and go happily along for the ride.

CAROLINE: I loved this movie and I want to recommend it to one and all, but realistically I know it’s just for the girls and the gays. And anyone who loves Italy. It’s a great chick flick for all ages. It’s a dual love story, but at it’s heart it’s a romance between two old people, which is rare in a movie. If you’re at all inclined, go see it!!

— RATING —