The high-tech jargon of Internet dating meets the old-fashioned situations of onscreen romance and heartwarming comedy ensues. That’s the gist of a new romantic comedy co-starring John Cusack and Diane Lane; and Alan Silverman has a look at Must Love Dogs.
The ‘personals ad’ takes a new place of prominence in the modern American dating scene as portrayed in Must Love Dogs the story of divorcee Sarah, whose sisters, brother and even her father all want to find her a new mate.
Diane Lane plays Sarah and believes the real-life anguish of divorce is not out of place in a comedy.
“I think they go together. I think we laugh at our pain and that’s what makes us heal, hopefully,” she says. “In hindsight, you have these ridiculous things happen and then you say ‘one day I’ll be laughing about this.’ At that point it’s funny because you survive these things [or] that’s the hope.”
Exasperated, Sarah’s older sister takes a bold step onto the Internet.
Lane, who is married in real life, says she has never tried Internet dating services that claim to be able to pair people up scientifically; but her research into it for this role intrigued her.
“I think it would be a ball. I would be frightened if I were looking for a life mate kind of thing, which my character is,” she says. “That’s a little more daunting, I think; but I also think it’s great to get your resume out of the way, as it were. ‘No smokers need apply’ or whatever your qualms might be, you can say that up front and not be personal. ‘Nothing personal, just please have 10 toes.’”
John Cusack plays Jake, the perfect match who answers Sarah’s Internet ad. Always a stickler for realistic characters and dialogue.
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Opening this week, as if to confirm what a rotten, unoriginal summer it's been for Hollywood, Must Love Dogs is a romantic comedy that feels like yet another remake. It's not, though almost every line and comic situation is dispiritingly familiar.
Diane Lane plays Sarah, late thirties, divorced for eight months, moping about in ghastly childlike pyjamas and now besieged by her large family, all oddly eager to launch her on the dating scene. Her sisters post her profile on a matchmaking website, describing her as "voluptuous" (she isn't) and adding the caveat that gives the film its irritating title.
The film
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