Film review: P.S. I Love You (2007), directed by Richard LaGravenese
The movie begins with an argument between a couple, Holly (Hilary Swank) and Gerry (Gerard Butler, sporting an Irish accent – aww), arguing about their married life and their plans for the future and how they may or may not work out. They kiss and make up. Cut to some time later and Gerry has died of a brain tumour. Holly is, understandably, devastated.
After a month as a recluse, on her 30th birthday, Holly gets a surprise gift … from her late husband, promising there will be many more surprises coming up. And more letters show up, one by one, including a pre-arranged trip to Gerry’s native Ireland for her and her two best friends (Gina Gershon and Lisa Kudrow, who have the best dating strategy ever). We get to see Holly trying to move on with her life, and also how her grief is affecting other people around her.
Based on a novel by Cecelia Ahern, P.S. I Love You is a very touching story of love and loss. Either I’m hormonal at the moment or this movie really is pulling heartstrings galore, because I burst into tears about three times. The ending in particular had me bawling. I think it’s the loss thing. I have issues with that sort of thing, and loss due to your loved one dying? No, don’t even go there. I don’t want to think about it.
I can’t say which performance I liked best. They were all really good. Kathy Bates is an actress I really enjoy watching, and here, she played Holly’s mother. Very good performance. Holly as a character I took an instant dislike to simply because she’s one of those women who read too much into things and don’t say what they actually mean. You know, the “What’s the matter?” “NOTHING!!” kind. Just say what you bloody well mean and stop playing mind games! When she lost the love of her life, however, I warmed to her, sympathised with her. Perhaps not loving her, but you know, rooting for her.
Is it a chick flick? Undoubtedly, it might appeal more to females because of the sheer number of delectable actors on parade: Gerald Butler, Harry Conick Jr, James Marsters and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. My comment as I was chatting to people online at the time of broadcast (I was recording it to watch later) was “half-watching ‘P.S. I Love You’. She’s just met JeffreOMG HE HAS AN IRISH ACCENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” Cute guys with gorgeous accents, doesn’t get better than that!
Harry Connick Jr, or “the man who became Mr Grace in Will & Grace” as I know him, was wonderful. You could see he cared and how pained he was as Holly’s blatant disinterest. I think the right thing happened in the end. It was a good and hopeful ending to a beautifully romantic film. What an idea, eh? Writing all those letters and making so many preparations just to soothe your own passing for the person you love the most. It’s probably the sweetest thing you could ever imagine. Sets a very romantic precedent too.
4 out of 5 guitars.
Happy Valentine’s day everyone! ❤
Traxy,
I hope you won’t be offended that I felt that this flick was a total downer. I love and live and breathe chick flicks but this was no “Truly, Madly, Deeply” which gave me warm loving fuzzies, was so uplifting, even though there was a death.
I went into it bright-eyed and open but, in the end, bummer! Also, I usually adore the writer La Gravenese ( is this not the BEST moniker???), who, I believe wrote The Fisher KIng as well as other chick flicks. But, I just couldn’t recommend it unless you want to be sad and depressed.
Pi: Absolutely not. If we all had the same likes and dislikes, imagine the horror! We’d be knee-deep in Twilight and Date Movie, eww. 😉
It was depressing, I agree, but it also felt like it was … therapeutic, somehow. Even though you may lose the love of your life, your own life is still out there, waiting to be lived. Perhaps not in as short a turnaround as a year, but eventually.
I am a single woman and I mention this because it helps understand part of my story….
I went to see this movie with my sister-in-law. About halfway through the movie when JDM starts singing & playing Galway Girl & then it switches to GB singing…my sis-in-law turns to me and says….”You need to go to Ireland!” LOL! Truer words were never spoken…
This movie was my first introduction to Mr. Butler…I have to say, I’ve enjoyed many of his “lesser” known roles in Phantom and loved him in Dear Frankie for example. And he is soooo funny – look for his interview on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno talking about wearing a kilt at a family wedding!! ~squee~