Life or Something Like It

Preview Screening

How does one review a film like Life or Something Like It? This is a question I have been asking myself since I saw it two days ago. It poses a problem; what does one say about a film that is not completely awful, but is not in the slightest bit good? Life or Something Like It is a romantic comedy that is neither romantic or funny, which doesn't bode well for the film as a whole.

What about the plot? Angelina Jolie, wearing a blonde wig, is a TV presenter with no personality, who is informed by a homeless 'prophet' (Tony Shaloub, who really should stop doing bad films for the money) that she is going to die in a week. So, the ball is set in motion for her to become the wonderful person she really is, find love and therefore not die, blah, blah, blah. If only we cared. They even try and make it 'exciting' by starting the film with Angelina talking 'deep' about life as we look at her being operated upon. As if they are going to kill the lead character in a romantic comedy. Ha.

The other half of the romantic equation is Ed Burns, who basically plays himself (the extent of his range). He is made to look attractive by having an ugly, balding English bloke with glasses as his assistant, which I found particularly insulting. He drifts in and out of the film, looking bored, wondering when he can get back to making his fifteenth reiteration of The Brothers McMullen. There some stuff about TV personalities and new jobs and they throw some stuff in about Angelina's sister not getting on with her and fighting for the affection of their father and something about their mother dieing young, but it never really leads anywhere and none of the subplots are resolved. It could have said something about the world of television, but the closest they get to satire is when two presenters examine their teeth the second before going on air. The silliest cliché they trot out is singing along to a famous song, in this case Satisfaction, by the Rolling Stones, as Angelina leads a group of striking transit workers in an impromptu version while live on air (I'm not making this up). They make this annoying scene look as stupid as it is in real life by showing the scene again on television within the film to mortify Angelina's character. The worst part about that scene? We have to be told in the next scene that she was supposed to be blind drunk when she did the singing live on air, because we couldn't tell from the acting that she was drunk. Oh dear.

Who do we blame for this? Angelina, for saying yes to the script and therefore getting it greenlighted? Stephen Herek, the director, who doesn't seem to have a feel for comedy? (Holy Man, anyone?) Or perhaps the screenwriter, John Scott Shepherd, who also did Joe Somebody? Or the executive at the studio? Or maybe God, for His/Her black sense of humour? Never mind - just remember this; do not go and see it, because I saw this film so you don't have to.

Rating: D