Wifey's Chick Flick of the Week- Easy Virtue

Easy what?... I know, that’s what I said too when my wife brought Easy Virtue home from Blockbuster.  I checked out the cover- Jessica Biel (well, the guys have something to look at)… in a time period piece (never mind).  Colin Firth and Kristin Scott Thomas are in it (okay, some good acting) and a Chihuahua with a plume feather on his head is somehow being promoted over these two actors (yikes!).  Needless to say, I had my reservations and, alas, they were fulfilled as Easy Virtue tanks pretty badly.

I don’t really know where to start so I guess I’ll go to the beginning.  The opening image shows Larita (Biel) winning a car race then making eyes at John (Ben Barnes) then they cut to an artsy, graphic-driven make-out session between the two characters.  So, we know she races cars and they’re a couple… oh, and it’s some time in the early 1900’s.  This opening image proves to be the only true set up in the entire movie, though.  The next twenty or thirty minutes are characters talking out the plot and trying to reveal exposition through dialogue.  A few quips are thrown in, but they’re hard to really appreciate because the characters are not set up well.  They express their motivations, but we never see it… at least not until over half way into the movie.  Much of comedy is set-ups and pay-offs and this film never seems to set up its jokes.  That alone dooms it.

However, that is not the only problem with the film.  The score sticks out like a sore thumb.  It’s a corny, show tune type of horn instrument ensemble that overwhelms every scene and does not come close to matching the action or even contrasting the action so as to create irony.  The film shows stodgy people bickering and then it plays show tunes over it. It could be funny if it is a more lively fight or if the music is subtler, however, neither is true.  It’s calm, dry British type humor and Jessica Biel’s “American” character does little to alter the mood and create the opportunity for a big, loud show tune to be appropriate.  Ultimately, it feels like the music is just haphazardly thrown over the scenes to try to keep the tone light and quirky when the action is anything but.

The storyline is erratic.  There is not real character development or story growth.  Rather, the characters all stay the same throughout the entire film and simply alternate between fighting and trying to make up (or in some cases, just avoiding a fight for a while) until eventually the end occurs, which is both predictable and just strange.  Making matters worse, very little actually happens in this film.  Few characters actually try to do something about what is troubling them, especially our leads.  Larita shows up and complains from the beginning that she does not want to be there and does very little to try to change her circumstances.  There is a brief period about half way through the film in which Larita and her husband’s mother (played by Scott Thomas) get a little back and forth battle going.  That aside, though, Larita just bickers and does nothing until the finale.  The same goes for her husband, John.  He does nothing, other than saying he wishes Larita fit in better.

I could go on, but why beat a dead horse?  Frankly, the film is not very good. 

My ratings so far must show a severe prejudice against chick flicks, but I assure you, my wife has agreed with each rating.  I have given her a hard time about her choices, so far, and she has taken it in stride.   She considers herself 0 for 3, but I think she has good taste in movies and her average is bound to improve, so hang in there with us.

If you like this (or want a better recommendation), check out:  Pride and Prejudice (Restored Edition) 

Scale: 

1-  Lots of Better Movies at Blockbuster   

2-  Might Be Worth Renting If You’re Bored

3-  Rent It When You Get to It

4-  A Must Rent, at some point

5-  Put It in Your Queue NOW!

My Rating: 0.5

Buy Easy Virtue