A Life Less Ordinary
(R, 1:43:46, Released 1997)
| Provider: | Hulu |
| Genres: | Romance, Drama, Comedy |
| Released: | Oct 24, 1997 |
| DVD Released: | Mar 20, 2001 |
| Starring: | Cameron Diaz, Dan Hedaya, Delroy Lindo, Ewan McGregor, Holly Hunter, Ian Holm, Ian McNeice, Maury Chaykin, Stanley Tucci, Tony Shalhoub |
| Directed by: | Danny Boyle |
| Synopsis: | A Life Less Ordinary is a surprising disappointment, considering it is the third film from director Danny Boyle, writer John Hodge, and actor Ewan McGregor. This disjointed and strained romantic comedy is not even near the same league as Trainspotting and Shallow Grave. Cameron Diaz is a spoiled heiress and McGregor an aimless janitor brought together by two angels (Holly Hunter and Delroy Lindo) hoping to hang onto their wings. McGregor kidnaps Diaz, the boss's daughter, after being fired from his crummy job. She is not all that averse to being snatched. Most of the laughs are lost to a scattershot story that feels preposterous instead of magical. --Rochelle O'Gorman |
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Other Top Reviews
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October 23, 2008
A flawed violent romcom, love the dreamlike state, angels and Diaz and McGregor. Can't disguise the fact they have zero chemistry. The angels try to make up for it though.
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September 6, 2008"A comedy for anyone who's ever been in danger...of falling in love"
EXTRAORDINARY, AMAZING, HILARIOUS -
August 27, 2008Ummm, weird. It might have been intentionally chaotic to further demonstrate how illogical and transcending love is but sometimes it did border on ridiculous.
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July 31, 2008STrange, weird, and yet really funny. I liked this alot. A differant approach to a 'love' story and its entertaining. Hunter and Lindo were two of the main people i was watchin for though. Their characters were good and I think Hunter was the best in the entirety. Diaz and McGregor were the starring roles of course but She just stood out a bit more.
Over all story was good, A kidnapping gone wrong and other things take effect that make it its own story and not just 'another one of those' movies. -
July 3, 2008
Silly yet immensely delightful, this is a movie less ordinary with explosive chemistry between Cameron and Ewan, two of my favourite actors of all time. And the Beck song did it for me. Truly a candylicious treat for the soul and the heart. :)
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June 23, 2008
Weird, but decent. Half a star taken off for that god-awful Holly Hunter. She should not be allowed to speak. Ever.
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April 22, 2008This movie is so great I just love it its soo funny and its romantic , the dialogoes are hilarious and well just watch it you will love it too!
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April 17, 2008
Incredibly cool movie. Who would've thought that Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz could perform so well onscreen with one another. Although the core story line was good, I guess the director's translation of it on screen left much to be desired. But as a whole, this movie still gains two thumbs up for me. I just love how the movie is successfully able to juxtapose the surreal with reality in a very clean and comprehensive package. Applause goes to Holly Hunter and Delroy Lindo for such terrific portrayals of hilariously long-sufferring angels.
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March 14, 2008
O'Reilly: Our fee for the recovery of your daughter is... one hundred thousand dollars.
Naville: That's a lot of money.
O'Reilly: Five thousand in advance. The rest is cash on delivery - no daughter, no dough.
Jackson: And naturally we'd operate a sliding scale, whereby if we only bring back part of your daughter, we only get part of the money.
O'Reilly: That's enough, Jackson.
Jackson: No, I mean if he's cut her ears off and we can't find them, we'll knock a couple thousand off the tariff. More for a limb, obviously.
O'Reilly: Jackson.
Jackson: Sorry.
Usually put in the lower half of director Danny Boyle's filmography, I have always enjoyed watching this film. It's a strange, dark romantic comedy that involves kidnapping and angels sent to ensure the love between two people.
It also features an impressive cast, a very good alternative soundtrack (something not unfamiliar to a Boyle film), and plenty of style to make this film very interesting visually.
Robert: They're replacing us with fucking robots!
Ewan McGregor stars as a slacker, rocking a very strange hair cut, working as a janitor, until he is fired and his girlfriend dumps him.
Cameron Diaz is a spoiled rich girl, who is at her father's (Ian Holm) wits end.
McGregor eventually storms into his former boss' office and kidnaps Diaz.
This is not too much of a coincidence, because two angels (Delroy Lindo and Holly Hunter) have been sent by their boss (Dan Hedeya) to bring these two together.
The majority of the movie revolves around McGregor and Diaz bickering and hanging together, while the angels pursue them using strange means to bring them together.
This was Boyle's attempt at making a mainstream film despite the strange setup, and so of course many did not like it when it first arrived, but for some reason I have found this to be an enjoyable film due to its oddities.
The soundtrack in particular, I enjoy, largely due to it having my favorite Beck song.
Along with the romance stuff, this film plays with balancing cliches against elements of a trash novel, something MgGregor's character is actually trying to write, and brings it up again and again.
This is an enjoyable film for me, but its not for everyone.
Jackson: What the hell did you do to her?
Robert: I punched her in the face.
Jackson: Oh, you punched her in the face. She's half your size and you punch her in the face?
Robert: She had a gun!
Jackson: Oh, she had a gun! So that makes everything all right, does it?
Robert: No, I'm not saying it makes everything all right. I'm just trying to explain to you that for all I knew, she could have been a karate expert or something.
Jackson: With a broken arm? WITH A BROKEN ARM?
Robert: O.K., I'm sorry. -
March 6, 2008
Danny Boyle is a fantastic director...he's just getting his feet wet here...perhaps recovering after the exhausting Trainspotting
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February 26, 2008
I thought it was better than what most critics make it out to be....great chemistry between McGregor and Diaz...had a few elements of mystical wonders but it kinda made this romantic a little different from others I've seen...
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February 4, 2008What a droll film.
What a truly, truly awful way to spend a couple of hours.
If you just want to see if the actors can act, then it's fine, but anything else.....
It's unrealistic, the plot line is sketchy and difficult to follow.
The whole notion is somehow ridiculous unrealistic.
If you want to see American & Scottish british stereo types, then give this a watch.
If you're looking for a good film give this a miss.
I was going to give 1 and a half stars but Diz is so boring and irritable, that I dropped it down to 1 star.
If you like the idea of a poor little rich girl living in an unrealistic world, not knowing the difference between fantasy and reality, then wathc this film. If that idea has little or no interest to you then feel free to ignore this film. -
January 28, 2008
I need to see it again to give it a fair rating, but I remember really enjoying it, as much as Diaz' character annoyed me.
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December 30, 2007
Funny and very heart warming. Cameron Diaz needs to be a very strong woman in this and pulls it off very well
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December 7, 2007
Very funny and highly recommendable - Ewan McGregor is an amazing actor. However, R.E.M.'s "Leave" throughout a comic violence scene is a sacrilege/an appalling example of grossly misplaced music in a motion picture.
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November 24, 2007
Its an effing strange movie. But although ewan looked like crap it was ok and weird but ok. The romance was sharp but i didnt favor it.
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November 16, 2007
A strange but funky story! I LIKE :D not for everyone because it has it's quirks, but certainly harmless and fun :) and you gotta luv Ewan! :D
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November 12, 2007
Probably the first movie I saw Ewan McGregor in, and enjoyed Cameron Diaz in. Holly Hunter and Delroy Lindo cracked me up.
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October 6, 2007
I liked this movie!
Cameron Diaz was cute and Ewan McGregor was funny. I liked Holly Hunter and Delroy Lindo as the angels.
I'm surprised this is from the same director as Trainspotting since it was nothing like that one, but I guess I can see it in the drunken shots scene.
That would be funny if I was kidnapped and then didn't care enough so that I was helping my kidnapper get more money.
Pretty funny and worth a viewing.
I liked the animation at the end. Oh and when she was holding on to the car still trying to shoot them. Good stuff! -
September 29, 2007
A huge mess. I didn't get it. A bit pretentious, but I guess what's worse is the plot - just shitty nonsense.
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September 25, 2007
bit of a disapointment seeing as it makes the mcgregor,boyle trilogi, but enough stuff in the first half to warrent a look, it just goes really bad the second half, but great music here, including ash, rem and oasis, and the usuall direction of boyle, with a great tirn from holly hunter, just a shame about the 3rd act,
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September 21, 2007
Brilliant. This film is so under rated. Ewan McGregors performance is outstanding. Cameron Diaz is fantastic. The chemistry between them is wonderful. Danny Boyle as usual is does amazing things with this film. People usual concentrate on his films like Trainspotting but this film shows that he can turn his hand to anything and pull it off beautifully. I love the ending. Ewan looks amazing in his kilt. Fantastic film. I cannot say anything bad about it.
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August 26, 2007
Not a great movie, but it's fun and super cute. Points for having Ewan McGregor and making me like Cameron Diaz (I usually do only about half the time)
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August 14, 2007
nice hair do ewan mcgregor's got here!!! not really the film 2 c if ur already feeling confused... it boggles ur brain!!!
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August 6, 2007Its quite hard to follow, and makes no sense but yet u keep watching coz u wanna know wots happening.
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August 3, 2007Fantastic film starring Ewan as an inept kidnapper. A great love story and the "angels" are hilarious. Plus it has a key scene featuring a song by REM. I adore this film!
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July 31, 2007
I admit it, I hate date movies. And chick flicks make me want to projectile vomit. But this movie is so irreverent, so odd, and so entertaining that I can't help but like it. McGregor and Diaz play off each other perfectly. This movie is just plain fun!
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July 22, 2007I just don't know what A Life Less Ordinary is getting at. Does it want to be a comedy? I think I chuckled about three times through the entire movie. A romantic drama, perhaps? I found myself wondering if I was supposed to feel any sympathy for these characters. Ewan McGregor gives a wallpaper performance on a generic character and Cameron Diaz is awful on an intolerable human being. Their romance is as poorly conceived as it sounds like it would be, with Diaz treating her counterpart like dirt the entire time and McGregor inexplicably falling in love with her. Probably because she's hot. Shallow!
The "angels" device could have really improved this movie, but Danny Boyle used it so poorly that I found myself confused as to what the hell they were doing. Sure, maybe they were "jeopardizing" the couple, and their alliance with Celine's father was all part of their divine scheme, but the movie is this massive schizophrenic mess about the nature of fate. It shows in the plot, which is murky and confusing. The movie also closes with a horrible, cheesy montage of Diaz and McGregor's heads superimposed on random scenes of the movie arguing about whether or not fate exists and the meaning of love. I don't want to hear what those doddering fucktards have to say! As if I'm seriously supposed to believe that this acrimonious, vapid female character has these deep ruminations about the meaning of love and fate and existence. And what an inappropriate and cheap way to deliver them.
I'm sure this movie could have had potential, but those glimmers I often see were few and far between here. A Life Less Ordinary, by dint of trying so hard to be a quirky take on the romantic comedy, ended up being a convoluted mess of a film; doomed from the start. Give it a miss. -
July 10, 2007
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July 2, 2007
Life Less Ordinary is a surprising disappointment, considering it is the third film from director Danny Boyle, writer John Hodge, and actor Ewan McGregor.
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June 27, 2007
I really like this one. I need to see it again (too bad I only have it on VHS.) Ewan's character is one of my favorite portrayals by him, probably second only to Christian in Moulin Rouge. I just found his character so cute and naive, a total dreamer. I'm not normally a fan of Cameron but I enjoyed this movie enough to not mind her being in it. Is it just me or was that spit trail when they kissed totally gross?
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June 24, 2007
It's good, but not great. Ewan looks sexy singing Beyond the Sea - but we all know he's looked sexier singing.
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June 17, 2007
oh ewan the movies you pick..you rock dont ever change:P most random movie of life...but cute i suppose, love the bar scene...and ewan gets to keep his real accent what more would you want
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June 11, 2007I can't wait to see the sequel: "A pretty mundane life" where the protagonist is a married home-owner, who goes to work and is NEVER late...
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June 7, 2007
This movie has you LOL within the first 5 min. It is defenetly worth a rental for some good laughs. Its a plus if you already like Cameron D. because it does have its chessy moments.
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June 7, 2007
Extraordinary in plot, form, narrative and characterization! A modern day fable which enquires all the elements of modern cinema: violence, sex appeal and happy ending with a sweet reunion!
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June 6, 2007
Romanic fantasy; Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz. Want a chunk of real life? Get another movie. Want some fun and an easy movie to watch? (and if you don't mind a kiss or two) watch this.
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June 6, 2007
An under rated gem. Okay it's not Trainspotting or Shallow Grave, but this film was ahead of it's time. If released now, the critical aclaim would be vastly improved.
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May 29, 2007
I didn't love the movie( Holly Hunter is so creepy), but it has a great soundtrack. One of my all time favourites.
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May 29, 2007
This is such a silly movie, but so funny. I love the part when they're in the bar singing, but Cameron Diaz is a really bad singer, so that ruins it slightly. I love Ewan McGregor, so I can't say too much that isn't good about him. It's so sad, he's pretty pathetic in the beginning, but he gets better.
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May 18, 2007
I loved this movie ! Ewan McGregor was so cute and it was really funny with those weird angels. I think people overlook Holly Hunter but she´s a brilliant actress.
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April 22, 2007
This movie is hilarous! It has Angel cops that are totally crazy, Ian holm as an evil corporate boss, and I think just about everyone in this film gets fatally shot but nobody dies. Gotta have it's babies.
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April 12, 2007
This film reaffirms my appreciation for Ewan McGregor and I enjoyed the quirky storyline but I wasn't that impressed with Cameron Diaz.
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April 9, 2007
a really good movie that gets overlooked, cam & ewan r great togther even the little musical number!
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March 29, 2007
i really like the scene when Ewan Mcgregor and Cameron diaz made a bubble kiss..lol...and i also love the soundtracks..ASH rocksss!!!
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February 19, 2007
Enjoyably quirky rom com, if rather lightweight compared to Boyle's previous work. McGregoer and Diaz make a handsome couple, and the supernatural element maintains the interest. Great soundtrack too.
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February 14, 2007
Another obscure one. I've seen bad reviews of this, and I originally saw it with my brother late late at night when I was so tired my good taste was probably impaired. But I have seen it again recently, and if you accept its quirkiness as I have, it's a very funny movie that keeps the surprises coming all the way to the strange animation at the end.
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February 11, 2007
really quite wonderful.
flawed and maybe a little long and perhaps a touch too idealistic but as alittle piece of story telling, it's actually quite enjoyable.
the presence of angels is a touch cliched and their use is so obviously hackneyed but there is a sense of fun here that is often missing in this sort of film. In fact, the angels lend the film a sense of fantasy that almost excuses the rediculous series of events and consequences.
It helps that the cast is amazing but perhaps it is the looseness of the plot and the almost random occurances that makes this a little jumbled.
Fun but that isn't always enough, is it? -
February 11, 2007
This is the best Danny Boyle's movie I ever watched than Trainspotting because it has brilliant romantic comic fantasy with Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz. I don't care how disappointment this movie is from the other reviewers.
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February 6, 2007
I liked it. I thought it was funny, weird and rather disorderly, but in a good way. Wouldn't be nearly as good without Ewan McGregor, though.
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January 21, 2007
A pretty funny film, with gud performances from the actors, and overall I enjoyed it. But, the story line is a little weak in places. Mind you, Ewan McGregor singing instantly makes a good movie!
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January 13, 2007
This didn't really work as the follow up to Trainspotting from Danny Boyle. The story was just a little weak and tried to cover too much. It has a decent cast and could have been something much better, however, it is still watchable, Ewan and Cameron do a decent job.
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January 11, 2007
One of the greatest and most unusal romantic comedies ever. I just love the scene in the telephone box when she's trying to teaching him how to do a ransom call. Plus Ewan McGregor singing anytime is a bonus.
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December 31, 2006
ewan mcgreggor is so luvly! and cameron diaz is great in it! another film i love! its really funny and romantic!
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December 28, 2006
I watched it for the Beck song and stayed for the offbeat love story, again and again. I said it, I don't regret it.
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December 27, 2006
One of my favorite quirky little movies. It's not perfect, but Holly Hunter with a machine gun is enough reason to see it.
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December 12, 2006
I know this got crap reviews, but Ewan is great as always. The plot IS asinine and Holly Hunter and Delroy Lindo are the world's most irritating angels, but it is worth it to see Ewan in a kilt.
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December 12, 2006
really kooky love story...unlike most...really good romance...but one that guys will enjoy...great fun film....cameron and ewan have fantastic chemistry
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December 10, 2006
Holly Hunter and Delroy Lindo are brilliant in this, I particularly like the karaoke 'Somewhere beyond the sea' by Ewan and Cameron.
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October 19, 2006
Danny Boyle is an excellent director. Anything with Ewan McGregor normally gets my approval, but i thought this to be very original.
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October 3, 2006
its amazingly comic in its own dark gloomy ways...most people will write it off as weird or dissapointing..but i loved it..especially when Mcgregor tries to ask for a ransom on the phone but was too nice to do it!...confusing comedy will surely make it click..and Mcgregror's so...turning on..lolx...in his slapstick ways!!!
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September 30, 2006
Really clever, especially how it switches back and forth through the plot. I especially like the scence in the phonebooth where he's got to tell her father about the ransom demands, but hes just too nice to be able to do it!
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September 26, 2006
Enjoyably Dark comedy from Danny Boyle. Still don't get Boyle's obsession with all things religious though.
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September 23, 2006
Just saw it on Film4... Loved it loved it loved it! Fantastic! Hilarious! Ewan McGregor totally makes! Its a bit... different and unpredictable but still... amazing!
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August 26, 2006
I like this movie definately has it's confusing moments and most people would write it off as weird but I liked it.
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August 12, 2006
Danny Boyle and Ewan McGregor score again with this beautifully crafted romantic comedy about a nervous kidnapper and his bold kidnappee.
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August 11, 2006
nice...movie has a gr8-----everything nice story,starz,director an every otha thing that a nice movie shud have and i think that these sort of movies are nice fer watching while yu have nothing 2 do!(i am typing all this without knowing what i am typing actually i am typing to make it annoyingly long and long and long...something like the movie...loolol!)yea so like every performance of W\Ewan and Cameron is worth a watch(or is ewan's in this movie---worth a blink!?=S)gak..soz so don't sleep and read on k?i think that the movie shud have had more of...more of...more off...umm actually i told you i dunno wut i am typing..lol so move on and read on...kkk?get me???if you don't!!i am gonna kick yer ass(cuz i don't like it!)lol letz continue eventually the movie is surely woth a watch cameron's perormance waz more notable than inky-blinky Ewan's(looooool!)Peace Out
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August 1, 2006
I really don't rememberthis film too well, but I remember it was odd (which I generally like) and I also remember it had an intersting style. That coupled with a cool cast, I give it 3 stars for now. Til I see it again one day.
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July 27, 2006
There are loads of comedy films but this is the only one i can watch over and over and over and still laugh at. it is the funniest film ever.
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July 23, 2006
Not everything in this movie is great, but it had some really good parts, and got better as you went along.
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July 22, 2006
Well glory be! I've finally seen a movie in which Ewan McGregor does NOT play himself. Not only that but he was actually *likeable* in this movie... hard as that may be to imagine. I'd rate this movie higher (For being quirky and all) but the angel plot line got just too dang wierd and, ultimately, doesn't make a jot of sense.
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July 16, 2006
The point of being a rom-com is that it is romantic and funny. This film is the best example of rom-com you can find out there.
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July 7, 2006
I can't believe the synopsis compared this to Trainspotting and Shallow Grave and then slates it! Of course it doesn't compare to them, it's a cracking little black comedy romantic feel good movie. You know how it's going to finish, you think, but how is it going to get there.
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July 5, 2006
A Ewan McGregor/Cameron Diaz comedy. I don't really remember a lot about this movie - which isn't a good sign.
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July 3, 2006
I'm not interested in you, or your novel, or any other pathetic ambition you have to change your miserable, mundane existence.
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June 30, 2006
I love this movie. it is so crazy and out there I don't know why I like it I just do. one of my favorites.
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June 26, 2006
cameron diaz is the worst singer i've ever heard and covers up ewan's beautiful voice, but this movie makes me laugh my ass off anyway
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June 25, 2006
I think the only reason I liked this as much as I did was because I am a *big* Ewan McGregor fan. Because, really, the movie is not that good.
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June 21, 2006
