Movie Review: Letters To Juliet

I honestly expected to see a nominal quality love story going in but I was pleasantly surprised that this film was a noticeable cut above the average. Heck, I was even more shocked with how much I enjoyed the movie.

I mean, I found most romantic comedies - with a few exceptions, of course - quite stale and monotonous. Letters To Juliet, however, has both magic and fun that made it so endearing. I couldn't have been more delighted. It was a sweet, wonderful and enjoyable romantic flick.

Sure, the story was painfully predictable as I already knew how things will end up, but for some weird reason - pathetically and desperately - I waited for it. I mean, I got completely wrapped up in the characters that I ended up loving the story no matter how cliched it was. Also, it was interesting how the film managed to put all the schmaltz, melodrama and cheese in a completely engrossing manner that it didn't make me puke.

The performances were pretty decent. I love Amanda Seyfried and I really thought she had a great range of endearing expressions perfect for the film. I've seen her other works and she was distinctively radiant and beautiful here with the right balance of intelligence, warmth and charm. I found her portrayal very believable. Of course, the rest of the cast did an admirable job as well, especially Vanessa Redgrave.

Now, in terms of visuals, it was breathtaking. The backdrop for this movie, which was Italy, was absolutely lush and gorgeous and the cinematography was stunning. It was also beautifully shot.

One minor quibble though was the pacing of the leads relationship. I mean, it was way too fast to be even considered believable. I felt that there was no enough buildup for the characters to fall in love, more so with an "unlikeable" male lead. But that was just me nit-picking. Haha.

So, while this certainly wasn't a masterpiece, I thought that it went past the average 'romantic comedy' films and delivered a simple yet delightful movie experience.