Love & Other Drugs

Firstly Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway make a fantastic on-screen couple, very intimate; must better than when they were together in Brokeback Mountain. Maybe be because they not have Viagra on their side in this relationship. It is all about what they’re wearing, or what they aren’t wearing that gets everyone’s attention; but do be warned, don’t see it with a parent or someone who you’d find it awkward to watch some on-screen action with; just saying. It is a mash up of a socio-medical drama, a sex comedy, a drug-company advertisement and an illness movie; but we all prefer to keep it simple with a rom com.

Jake Gyllenhaal starts off as an electronic salesman, immediately very likeable, a laugh and one of those guys who works his charm on every customer. He then gets in some turmoil with his manager doing some sort of indiscretion, but still manages to carry on this undeniable charm in the world of pharmaceutical sales selling drugs for Pfizer, commonly confused as a fake company. This is where he meets Hathaway, a girl who matches him very well on the laid back approach in life. Firstly she attacks Gyllenhaal for tricking him to peeking at her breast in the Neurologists office, once she notices his supply of drugs in his car reassuring he isn’t in fact and intern but a drug rep; in her case a pervert. However you learn to see that she is one of those girls who knows every guy’s trick in the book but later on she actually beats Gyllenhaal to it and then matches him on it; go on girl. They are both two characters who dislike intimacy and start off as a fling, a sort of friends with benefits acts. It’s more revealing, physically more than emotional for the first half of the movie but that’s what keeps you seating for the duration of the movie; is there more ‘in the buff’ scenes? Does “love become a drug” for them?

Anne Hathaway plays a fun, sassy, confident and very free spirited Maggie Murdock who has the attitude of not letting anything strap her down, not in a kinky way. Her clothes speak a lot about her, one who knows she has the body but doesn’t care, is a careless artist who casually wears messy paint splotched dungarees with just a bra underneath. As the film develops you see this aspect that comes from within; the feeling every woman feels deep down inside no matter what age. Unfortunately she suffers from Stage 1 Parkinson’s Disease and once she embraces it she starts to feel so alive and not so alone; Jamie has other ideas once he meets someone whose wife has Stage 4. From here on in the film begins to be more serious. No matter how many

Josh Gad, who actually plays Josh Randall, Jamie’s younger brother, is hilarious. He may be a clever business guy but is an absolute fool in the real world. His “I’m going to wallow in self-pity” attitude makes him even funnier for his actions; you’ll understand more when you watch it.

Can’t quite decide if it’s more a girl film, the 2^nd half sure is but 1^st half; let’s just say it’s easy on the eye for both genders if you catch my drift. Can definitely see film critics’ slating it for its plot but it has got a different sort of twist, or should I say twitch.

Result: For all us girls who love a bit of romance no matter what the style or story I give it a 9/10. Cliché love story which would be the only let down but it’s cute and the humour makes up for it J