DVD Reviews

Something Borrowed

• Rating:
• Director: Luke Greenfield
• Starring: Ginnifer Goodwin
• Details: US/113mins 12A

If Kate Hudson worked at any other job she'd be fired by now. The once promising spawn of Goldie Hawn shot out of the gate with an Oscar nominated turn in Almost Famous; had a couple of moderate hits where she played the consummate, trendy singleton; then locked herself firmly in a box. Granted, Matthew McConaughy didn't help. Something Borrowed may be more Ginnifer Goodwin's movie than Hudson's, but it's as generic and bland as anything the latter has starred in before.
Hudson and Goodwin are best buds, Darcy and Rachel. Rachel has always been a bit of a pushover and Hudson's Darcy has constantly taken advantage of it throughout their friendship. When Rachel meets Dex (Egglesfield) and develops a crush, but doesn't have the guts to pursue it, Darcy asks him out and the two become engaged. But the attraction for both Dax and Rachel is still there, and Rachel has to decide whether or not to act on it. Meanwhile, her mate Ethan (Krasinski being the best thing about the film) continually encourages her to stand up for herself for once.
First off, why Hollywood thinks we should continue to buy the gorgeous and effortlessly adorable Goodwin being a desperate, perpetually single woman is beyond me. Regardless, she's as charming as she possibly could be here given some of the stilted dialogue she's forced to utter. Krasinski instantly brings an energy to every scene that he's in, and he's the only character in Something Borrowed that feels even remotely real. Almost everything else about the film is disconcertingly bogus.
It's rare that these types of productions work, but when they do it's usually because of engaging characters and/or charming performances. Any sort of realism or non-contrived emotion is a plus, however, a film can still be entertaining and not work... Something Borrowed does neither.
Sex and the City has a lot to answer for; encouraging countless banalities like this is probably the one it should be held most accountable for. Goodwin and Krasinski do their best, but they can't save this poorly scripted, synthetic romance.

Review by Mike Sheridan