The second phase of the definite movie review (did you spot the linking device, did you?) opens with this decent if slightly empty age gap rom-com.
It stars Catherine Zeta-Jones, who has her own experience of age gaps affairs although she’s usually the younger one of the pairing. In this she’s a supposed ‘MILF’ who leaves her husband when he inadvertently videos himself getting some ‘special attention’ at their son’s birthday party, while Catherine does to Tina Turner what Ike always tried to.
She moves to New York with her two sassy kids and rents the kind of apartment that can only be found by struggling single moms when they are lucky enough to be appearing in a Hollywood movie. She bumps into romantic interest Aram who is played by the annoying side kick guy off the ‘National Treasure’ movies at the coffee shop where he works.
Aram is on the rebound himself as he’s just been dumped by his French wife who used him to get a green card. Sparks don’t fly at first but when he’s employed as the attack dummy at her female defence class the pair start to click. Initially the relationship is employer/babysitter buts after a few disasterous dates Catherine decides to take a chance on the smitten youth.
Meanwhile, her implausible love of sports statistics see her get a job at a sports TV station and as love blossoms so does her confidence and pretty soon she’s looking to grab a presenting job. As you’d expect trouble looms on the horizon on various fronts from his pushy parents, to her domineering ex-husband to his French wife who is keen to get back together as she is in danger of being deported.
After a few predictable bumps in the road we have to wonder how the pair are going to get back together, because you can bet your bottom dollar they will. And they do.
Although it runs to a predictable three act formula this is a likable film with a few genuine laughs to raise its average along the way. The central pairing are a good match and it doesn’t look like there is 15 years between them - maybe because in reality there are barely nine. Zeta-Jones looks great and certainly fills the sexy older women credentials in her tight tops and black lingerie. Justin Bartha as Aram is a bit wet and his 'too wounded to love' act is a bit annoying, but he works well with the kids and holds his end up pretty well.
The best parts of the film mostly involve the second string with Art Garfunkel doing a great turn as Aram’s inappropriate comment spewing Dad. I also liked the female defence instructor with her un-pc remarks - especially when one woman said ‘but I’m a lesbian’ and she deadpans ‘See me after class’.
As regular movie watchers will testify the path of movie love never runs true and of course hiccups were planted about an hour in. We were never in any doubt that the pair would meet again but Aram’s quest to find himself was a bit barf inducing especially when he was feeding the starving in Africa - can’t he just go out and get drunk with his pals like everyone else.
There were a few edgy laughs and a couple of F-bombs that seemed a bit out of place, almost like they were trying for a ‘15’ certificate to get a more hardcore audience. That’ll work! I did like the date scenes especially the man who went for a dump in a street side cubicle and kept the conversation going before trying to hand feed the Welsh beauty with his unwashed hands. Lovely highbrow stuff always works with me.
If you owe your other half a romantic movie you could do worse than ‘The Rebound’ which has a couple of things to say about relationships but plenty more about going to the toilet and wearing a black bra.
THE Tag Line : Rebound is Mostly Sound 65%
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