While the script is similarly structured to Richard Curtis’ Love Actually, comprising many characters whose various story strands are connected in some way, the emotional experience is not nearly as satisfying.
As television executive, Kathy Bates tells her number two sports reporter (Jamie Foxx): “The station wants more fluff” – the film delivers on a similar level.
Director Gary Marshall has assembled a wonderful star cast with whom we experience a proposal, a break-up, a naked songwriter’s offering, a two-timing player, phone sex, a little boy’s first infatuation, a wedding, and an I Hate Valentine’s Day dinner.
The story centres on the activities of Ashton Kutcher’s Reed Bennett, who runs a busy LA flower shop and is madly in love with Jessica Alba’s Morley.
His best friend Julia (Jennifer Garner) has always been there for him, but now has plenty to occupy her mind (and heart) since she started dating handsome heart surgeon Harrison Copeland (Patrick Dempsey), who is adept at juggling more than fruit.
Needless to say, everything is a play on hearts, with heart-shaped flowers, wind up plastic hearts and broken hearts eager for revenge.
Garner forms the heartbeat of the film. She is every bit like sunshine, as her character demands. It’s her story with which we engage most readily.
Anne Hathaway is also terrific as Liz, whose moonlighting naughty phone activities are kept secret from her new beau (Topher Grace).
There is the storyline involving football star Sean Jackson (Eric Dane), his chocolate-loving PR consultant (Jessica Biel) and Queen Latifah’s bi-polar talent agent Paula, plus Shirley MacLaine and Hector Elizondo’s devoted married couple, who understand that love cannot be planned and when sometimes truth makes everything else a lie.
Sure it’s predictable, but there are a couple of surprises involving Bradley Cooper’s Holden and Julia Roberts’ off-duty soldier.
