More funny was the crowd at the Cineplex for the 5pm show. There was a fairly even split between thirtysomething’s and septuagenarians. It was very strange. Leah and I speculated that they were in the wrong theatre and that once the previews were complete and the movie started they’d all leave. But they didn’t. They stayed, and appeared to enjoy themselves. For those who have seen the movie you’ll understand our surprise. For those who haven’t seen it, it’s just what you think it’s going to be.

The trailers are a bit misleading, and give away some parts that I thought were best saved for the movie. But if you like the Jason Segal and Paul Rudd, the giveaways are forgivable, and the movie is quite enjoyable.

Leaving the theatre with a smile on my face I realized that I had just watched a film featuring child slavery, torture, murder, extreme poverty, and religious hate crime yet it left me feeling good. Can you name another movie that satisfies that criteria?

See it on the big screen as some of the scenes deserve it. The direction and editing may also lose a bit when translated to the small screens of home.

The movie is filled with laugh out loud moments, and a sweet sort of love story. Full frontal male and female nudity are responsible for the 18A rating because the “porn” scenes are fairly softcore – no, you don’t get to see Seth Rogan or Elizabeth Banks nekkid.

It seems to me that the great escape a movie once afforded me is gone. Although I can’t see any of my friends actually making a porn for profit, this movie, much like Nick And Norah, seemed to just be a camera crew filming regular people doing mostly regular stuff. And if that’s all a movie is going to be, Zack & Miri is not the standard to aim for.

Is that how you’d spell that sound that people make when they neither like or dislike something? If so, that’s what I thought of the movie. Michael Cera plays the same character he’s played in every movie I’ve seen him in. The “cameos” by John Cho (Harold of Harold and Kumar) and Andy Samberg (SNL, are unnecessary and give the movie a bit of a cheesy feel. And unlike the much cooler movie-that-takes-place-in-a-single-evening “Dazed and Confused”, this movie never went anywhere. And sadly it didn’t provide any escape from real life…

Oh well. It almost made me want to go to New York City. At night.

Kudos to the trailer/commercial editors as they really sucked me in on this one… and it’s rare that I get this hosed on a movie not living up to its advertising. But that’s what happened here. Professional critics seem to generally love this film stating that it is another masterpiece from the Coen Brothers; and I suppose had a been more clued in to their oeuvre – specifically O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Raising Arizona, and The Hudsucker Proxy – I probably would have skipped it completely.

Oh well.

The 60s, London fashion, corrupt cops, good guys disguised as bad guys and the appearance of a double cross or two kept my attention for the full two hours. Based on a true story the film starts slow (aside from the naked swimmer) but builds to a fun finish. Jason Statham reclaims much of his character “Turkish” from Snatch – which is all right with me – but turns up the goo-guy side a bit.

The fact that the movie is based on a true story makes it even more unbelievable… if that’s possible. The collection of events that take place is astounding, and at times a bit far fetched, but nevertheless it all works to create an enjoyable film.

A fun cast with good onscreen chemistry – aside from Van and Rachel Weisz – made for a fun couple of hours at the theatre.

It’s a bit different, but in a good way. It pulls at your heart strings, and reminds you about what it’s like to be young and in love, and how great it is to be in love.