Kind of a rough weekend for likable chick flicks.

After seeing the trailer for Love and Other Drugs roughly eleventy billion times this year, the wife and I decided to give it a shot this morning. Bad idea.

The movie really did not have much of a story. The plot is based on a pharmaceutical drug rep (Jake Gyllenhaal), who falls in love with a women that has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (Anne Hathaway).

Much like Morning Glory, this movie felt like it just wanted to hint at all the requirements for a decent chick flick, but not quite go all the way. There is a love story that hits some bumps along the way, there is a working man who can't decide if his career is more important than the woman, and there is the sappiness that comes from the disease stricken girl. Only the writers didn't devote enough time to any of them.

The movie is based in the mid-90's when Viagra first hit pharmacy shelves. At the beginning of the movie, Gyllenhaal's character is working as a salesman in an electronics store. As the movie develops we get to see his choice of video camera. Can someone please explain to me, how someone working at an electronics store in 1996 would have a video camera that was made in the early 80's?

Also, am I the only one who finds it odd that Jake Gyllenhaal is having "movie sex" with a character named Maggie? I mean really, it's not like this was based on a true story and they couldn't change the character's name. Awkward.

The one bright spot in the movie was the comedic relief provided by Josh Gad. He did a fantastic job playing the role of Gyllenhaal's rich younger brother. I thought he had the majority of the funny lines, and played them perfectly.


Love and Other Drugs
Directed by: Edward Zwick
Written by: Charles Randolph, Edward Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz, and Jamie Reidy
Starring: Jake Gyllenhall, Anne Hathaway, Josh Gad, and Hank Azaria
My Rating: 2 out of 5
Would Gene Pick it?: No