Please Happy

Tonight, in Film Symposium class, we watched When in Rome. Some of the 350 student audience members laughed at the sentimental parts. I actually liked the gooey moments. I found the stars likable. But, I did not like the slapstick crashing into things, breaking things, falling through things. I did not really like the magical coin premise (for a detailed review, go here), which reminded me of the cursed Lindsey Lohan in Just My Luck (a movie I may have watched on a stationary bike at an indoor gym). Overall, too predictable, too easy. Too thinks it’s funny but isn’t.

After the movie, Professor Leonard Maltin had an on stage discussion with creative producer Andrew Panay, who joined the movie six weeks before filming. I felt nervous for him up there defending a film that the USC audience had laughed at.

(Panay said that opening day – tomorrow – is the scariest time for movie makers. He said, by the time the 11 a.m. matinee ends in NYC, he’ll know his fate. He’ll know if what he has devoted the last two years of life to creating is worth it.)

Maltin: What’s your competition this week?

Panay: Edge of Darkness.

For his sake, I hope there are lots of date nights this weekend that are more in the mood for cooing than murderous revenge.