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“OVER MY SHOULDER”

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Any movie that ends with a Buddy Holly song-in this case "Every Day..." automatically gets a free pass into the semi-finals with me! Such is the case with 2009's "Love Happens". Soapy-predictable-bittersweet-an the age-old theme of finding love when you're not lookin' for it-but always entertaining, this one snuck up on me. My "B.W." and I had seen its preview B4 another Netflix showing, and eagerly awaited screening it, along with lifelong friend Orville Redenbacher. Starring the incomparable Jennifer Anniston-and if she is not the most luminous actress of any time and any era in the history of the "Talkies"-then there ain't no cows in Texas! Hard to believe that this lady is 41 years of age-which ain't old, mind you, but still, she could pass for 21 without even knockin' over a bar stool...Zowie! Coupled with her in the other lead role is lantern-jawed-but-handsome-in a kinda vulnerable way-Aaron Eckhart (a highly-credited actor but best known for his role in 1999's "Erin Brockovich"), whose
Major "minor" characters (huh?) are: Eckhart playing self-help author Burke Ryan, Dan Fogler (NOT the balladeer) as Layne Marshall, "Tonto" to Eckhart's "Lone Ranger"; Also, rapidly-graying Martin Sheen, as a hard-ass ex-Gyrene, & unforgiving father-in-law (Ryan's wife had died in a horrible car crash 3 years ago), and John Carroll Lynch as "Walter", a reluctant attendee at the grief seminar, whose sister urged him to attend after the loss of his seven-year-old son in a tragic accident on a construction site. Friends, there's enough pathos in this flick to bring out the "Puffs", I'm here to tell ya-especially as Eloise begins to befriend Burke, with all his saddle sores and untold mental scars resulting from the tragic death of his wife.
"Love Happens", based in rainy-weepy-but-gorgeous Seattle (when it doesn't rain there, people start to worry), tells the story of a self-help guru & best-selling author, Burke Ryan, who arrives in the Emerald City (that's what they call Seattle, ‘case you haven't been told that B4) to put on a self-help seminar, replete with a packed audience who already have purchased his signature self-help volume, "I'm OK, You're OK". Yeah, I do remember an actual book by the same title, written by Dr. Thomas Harris back in '69, which led to the whole movement called "Transactional Analysis", or "T.A." in the common vernacular. Betcha the Hollywood lawyers just flat missed this one! As Edith Bunker might say, "Ain't that in-ter-estin' Ahchie!" A frequent imbiber who rarely leaves the side of his concierge and right-hand-male assistant, played well by Dan Fogler, Ryan meets Eloise Chandler, a commercial florist who eschews any male involvement (Jennifer A) in the halls of his hotel one day. She had playfully written the word "quidnunc**" behind a painting hanging on the wall (this weird habit is never expounded upon or explained in the movie; Guess I'll hafta call out to the screenwriter and ask the hidden meaning of this red-herring plot device!). Ryan tries to have a conversation with Eloise, who pretends to be deaf even to the point of using sign language, in order to discourage Ryan and blunt his approach.
It's a workable if somewhat hackneyed story arc, but entertaining, what with the ubiquitous coffee-house scenics, slam poetry, bong-snuffing scenes in an effort to "sell it" to a younger audience. Hey, based on J.A.'s appearance in the lead role, I give it a full 7.5 out of 10. Rent it. I think you'll enjoy it even if you're not a Jenn Aniston fan (which, if true, is gonna be hard for you to defend!) It's got the predictable "kiss and tell all" ending, but, hey-if people didn't like those kinda endings, Hollywood wouldn't make ‘em. And it's not just "boy gets girl"; it has some forgiveness messages, too.
Steve H Kehoe This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
**from the Latin, literally "What Now?" but in common usage refers to a "busy-body", or an intrusive, inquisitive personage.