A stylish stinker. I'll grant it looks terrific, but there's nothing here to which I could attach myself: flighty mom and a parade of temp boyfriends, precocious kid, adulterous husband. And I'm supposed to care why, exactly? Zellweger's passionless performance, all smooth surfaces, didn't lure me in and the style -- well, it's just style. A look and feel, but not substance, and in a movie with so much style and so little of anything else, it can't help but become intrusive in the end.
I am sure I won't remember this film in a few months. But...Renee was very good in this character. If I were you I would not bother seeing it in the theater. Not bad for a Sunday afternoon dvd rental when you are folding laundry. Know what I mean?
What a terrific, nostalgic film lost in the shuffle this past summer. Renee Zellweger plays Anne Devereaux - a privileged Manhattan socialite and mother of two who leaves her philandering husband and hits the road to find a stable man and place to call home. There road trip takes them from Boston to Hollywood as she meets various men along the way - each with their quirks and ultimately disappointments. Zellweger shines as does newcomer Logan Lerman who narrates the story and told from his point of view. Most road pictures are predictable but this one breezes along and I found myself smiling for most of the journey. Kevin Bacon has a smaller role as the ex-husband and bandleader who wrote only one hit song "My One And Only". He is strong in the supporting role as are a number of potential suitors Anne meets (David Koechner, Chris Noth, Nick Stahl and more). But this films belong to Zellweger who proves her stardom and Oscar are no fluke - she's strong, optimistic and ravishing on the big screen - pay close attention to the final scene - the movie tips it hat with a name change that makes this unbelievable road trip seem like an autobiography of one famous heartthrob from the 70's. The movie is available for rental only at Blockbuster Video or to buy from Target - I don't like this exclusivity route so many independent films are forced to take, but I am thankful to have seen it.