Playing out like a low-budget version of "Sleepless in Seattle," director Brad Anderson's sophomore effort is reminiscent of the glossier Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan picture, but still manages to stand on its own. Witty, charming, and often slyly outrageous, this is an excellent entry in the romantic comedy genre.
Like "Sleepless," the film toys with the audience's belief and anticipation that the two lovelorn characters will get together, and Anderson and cowriter Lyn Vaus have made sure that their paths occasionally cross and continuously move closer together until the predictable, but still enjoyable conclusion.
As in similar films of this genre, their "pass-by's" often push the credibility and statistical realism factors to new levels, but that's part of the "magic" of these types of stories and explains why romantics worldwide simply love them. Despite what the characters may say to the contrary, these films are simply about the fate, destiny, or sheer outrageous luck that manages to bring two strangers together into a meaningful relationship.
While Anderson could have kept the plot simple and straightforward (which, for the most part, it is), he's wisely populated the film with various characters who symbolize that cohesive fate, destiny or luck. Although some may find that such material often gets a bit heavy-handed in hammering down such points, most will find that such scenes simply add more charm and comedy to the proceedings.
He's also included several prolonged, but hilarious montages of Erin and the men who've responded to the ad her mother placed on her behalf. In doing so, Anderson serves up a delicious double scoop of humorous and observational material as we not only see the men's initial telephone calls to Erin, but also their occasionally odd and amusing behavior and comments during the "test" dates.
What makes all of this work is the stellar performance from the lead actress, Hope Davis ("The Myth of Fingerprints"). Although the story -- in theory and usual practice -- is supposed to be evenly split between the would-be lovers, this is clearly Davis' movie. Perfectly playing the disenchanted and recently jilted woman, Davis not only is completely believable in the role, but her reactions -- both verbal and from body language -- to her suitors and others who offer their opinions about her romantic life are funny and right on target.
The other half of the pairing -- as portrayed by Alan Gelfant ("The Crow: City of Angels") -- can't help but take a backseat to Davis' character, although they never really meet until near the end of the story. That's not to say that Gelfant's character is any less substantial, and he does deliver a likewise believable and charming performance in the role.
The supporting performers are fine, and while most blend into an anonymous but pleasant concoction, a few stand out. Jose Zuniga ("Con Air") is charming as Erin's suitor with the most potential and Holland Taylor is funny in her brief bits as Erin's over-involved mother.
The scene stealer, however, is Phil Hoffman ("Twister") as Erin's boyfriend who's dumping her as the story begins. His brief, but hilarious performance is enhanced by some clever writing (including a videotape listing the reasons they have to break up), and the presence of his character easily helps jumpstart the film right from the start.
The picture also benefits from a heavy dose of samba and bossa nova tunes that perfectly establish the mood and genre atmosphere. Featuring classic recordings and an instrumental score by Claudio Ragazzi -- along with several original covers -- the music is as much a character as those portrayed by the cast and is a welcomed addition to this fine picture.
Only a few elements slightly mar this otherwise wonderful little film. Directly related to the word "little," the film's decidedly low budget look may distract some moviegoers from the proceedings, as might Anderson's constantly moving, near documentary shooting style. Even so, the film's charm and humor should quickly dissipate any adverse effects that the low budget elements may present.
For those who usually like more substantial plots -- like myself -- the film's story may prove to be somewhat weak, but I personally found that the overall tone and the wonderfully written characters made up for any substantial plot deficiencies. Finally, although the subplots involving Alan's experiences working at the Boston Aquarium and dealing with a local loan-shark provide for some humorous moments, they often seem quite removed from the film's overall thrust.
Those are only minor objections, however, to an otherwise witty, charming and quite funny film. Featuring a great performance from Davis who's backed up by a decent and charismatic cast, this film should easily please fans of the romantic comedy genre. How much of an audience it will find is questionable, however, but those who discover this little gem will be happy they did. We give "Next Stop, Wonderland" an 8 out of 10.
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