There is probably a fantastic little character film within the raw footage for "Love Happens." Unfortunately, the finished product is a complete mess.
Aaron Eckhart stars as Dr. Burke Ryan, a self-help author who arrives in Seattle to teach his popular seminar, and unexpectedly falls in love with a flower shop owner played by Jennifer Aniston.
The major problem with this film is that it isn't sure what it really wants to be. The marketing team obviously has no clue.
The trailers, TV commercials and production company-prepared description all lead you to believe this is a run-of-the-mill romantic comedy starring two of Hollywood's most appealing leads.
Even the title, "Love Happens," sort of makes you think this is a perfect little date movie.
Boy was I shocked when I slowly realized this film isn't about love at all. It's about grief.
Dr. Ryan's book entitled "A-Okay" was written initially as a way for him to cope with the sudden death of his wife. The book has brought him great fame, and he is even on the brink of a major multimedia deal.
But the therapist who asks his patients to openly confront their pain is secretly unable to take his own advice.
Eckhart really does a great job with his performance. If the film succeeds at all, it's because of his characterization of a troubled man who is a hypocrite.
It's a shame the movie has no focus because it could have been a nice addition to his resume'.
Jennifer Aniston's role as the shop owner feels as though it's been tacked on, rather than integrated into the film. It's as though the filmmakers wanted to make sure there was a romantic lead in the movie. Her presence is completely wasted, and there is really not much to say about her character simply because she is barely there.
Aniston feels shallow in the small number of scenes she does have, and has absolutely no chemistry with Eckhart.
In the end, it's a frustrating movie because, I believe, that maybe the initial script for this film might have been perfect. It definitely feels like one of those projects that may have had a good direction at one time.
But efforts to fit it into the romantic comedy mold just didn't work.
Grief happens.
2 buckets.
