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Some people see January as a time of new beginnings, a time of hope and promise. In theaters, however, January is a pretty dreary month. While most of Hollywood is still focused on last year’s movies—making that last-minute Oscar push while picking out gowns and writing acceptance speeches—the studios toss out the movies that don’t really matter. After the heightened expectations of December, it’s time to drop those expectations right back down to nothing—because January releases are usually pretty horrible.
Still, I couldn’t help but hold out just a little bit of hope for Leap Year, a rom-com starring the (almost) always lovable Amy Adams. But, sadly, it seems that not even Amy Adams is immune to the January blahs.
Adams stars as Anna, a successful home stager in Boston. Anna doesn’t believe in luck or fate. She believes in hard work and good planning—and her years of hard work and planning are finally paying off. She has a great career and a cardiologist boyfriend, Jeremy (Adam Scott)—and they’re finally at the top of the list to buy the gorgeous apartment she’s always wanted. The only thing missing is a diamond ring and the wedding of her dreams.
After four years of waiting for Jeremy to propose, Anna decides to take matters into her own hands. Following an old Irish tradition, she heads to Dublin—where Jeremy’s attending a cardiology convention—so she can propose on February 29th.
Unfortunately, nothing goes according to plan. After bad weather sends her flight off-course, Anna finds herself stranded in a small-town pub. Her only chance of getting to Dublin is the pub’s ornery, opinionated owner, Declan (Matthew Goode)—but they might end up killing each other before they get there.
Leap Year once again demonstrates the importance of good screenwriting. Even the world’s most lovable stars can’t save a ridiculous mess of a screenplay (like this one). While Adams may be able to make her spoiled, stubborn character strangely endearing, she can’t prevent you from knowing exactly where the story’s going from the minute you meet her stuffy, clueless boyfriend. And while Goode, too, can make you fall in love with cranky, cynical Declan just by giving his constant stream of insults a charming Irish lilt, he can’t make the story more clever—or less clichéd.
From the conventional characters to the formulaic plot, everything about Leap Year comes straight out of the chick flick handbook. There’s the headstrong young woman who’s settling for a dull but stable boyfriend. The handsome stranger who’s gruff and ornery—but only because he’s damaged goods. The endless series of increasingly ridiculous mishaps that force them closer together, no matter how much they hate each other from the moment they meet. And, of course, the moment when they’re forced to kiss and/or they accidentally see each other naked, which makes them not hate each other quite so much. It’s all here.
Not even the beautiful cliffs and castles of Ireland will be able to make you forget that you’ve seen this movie a hundred times before. Though the stars are lovable—and the supporting cast (especially the superstitious old guys at Declan’s pub) adds a touch of Irish humor—the lazy, clichéd writing makes Leap Year a chick flick worth skipping.
