Red vs. Blue State at the Movies

I've caught a couple of movies with friends recently. Most recently I watched He's Just Not That Into You which had my two married girlfriends and I all rejoicing that we were married and didn't have to spend all that energy wondering if he liked you or not. The movie was divided into chapters with unrelated commentaries by characters not involved in the story. Most would be familiar to those of us who have been single past our 22nd birthday.

I wanted to see this movie based upon a review by a CT reviewer. He gave it a very high review and managed to overlook a lot of objectionable material.

There are some great moments in this movie and some redeeming value. Ginnifer Goodwin's character is adorable and some of her lines reminded me very much of my single years. I loved that she is very taken with the truth when she hears it and we get to watch her wise up in the movie. The best part is that she doesn't lose her heart in the process.

However, I was heartened when my friend Sara leaned over and said, "Isn't it sad that this is normal for some people?" The hooking up, the guilt-free seduction of a married man, and the myriad of gay couples in this movie reflect blue state values. And one has to question how these folks can ever expect to remain in enduring relationships.

A little less glitzy, but far more substantive is red-county (the state is Minnesota so "state" doesn't work) movie New In Town. The best part of the movie is Blanche (Siobhan Fallon Hogan, one of the funniest actresses around.) She steals the show in this movie about a Miami-exec who comes to close down a small plant in Minnesota and finds a lot more resistance than she expected.

I'm not a huge Harry Connick Jr. fan but I had to say I enjoyed his role as a single father of a teenage daughter. His speech to his daughter's date to a dance is one most fathers have wanted to give and more fathers should.

Renee Zellweger is a weak link and I wouldn't have cast her opposite Connick Jr. The chemistry doesn't work but I have yet to see Zellweger ever work as a romantic lead. I am not sure why that is because she is adorable and funny. But the story and the rest of the cast make this a refreshing romantic comedy, the first one I've seen in a very long time.