Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston are good actors, and they do have some chemistry between each other in Love Happens. The only problem is the movie could have survived without the romance in the first place. Okay maybe Anistons’ character helps Eckhart’s character go and do some things he usually would not have, but the script could have been tweaked to get through that. Ultimately, the movie is good but the romance waters it down a bit.
Dr. Burke Ryan (Eckhart) has written a best-selling book and is about to venture out in to all kind of multimedia deals, and it all goes down in Seattle. Ryan does not care for Seattle because it’s the city where he lost his wife in a car accident. But he gets distracted by Eloise Chandler (Aniston), who owns a little floral shop. She decorates all of the arrangements in the same hotel Ryan is staying and speaking at. Of course, that’s how they run in to each other.
But as he starts to fall in love, Burke Ryan begins to rediscover his past and heal old wounds. He has to learn to let the past go in order to move forward. And this means he must reconnect with his wife’s parents and face the truth about what happened the night he lost his wife.
Aniston always looks good on-screen, but her character is one-dimensional. She is sweet and charming but her role is to open Eckhart’s eyes. This movie is mainly about Eckhart’s Burke Ryan. The story centers around his loss and pain, and the ways he hides it from the rest of the world. He wrote a top-selling book about how to move on after a death, and whatever advice he gives seems fake because he does not use his own advice. He is a witness to how he can help and change people’s lives. Unfortunately, he cannot do that for himself.
Love Happens is a movie that tries to tug on the heart and be romantic. It’s successful at times. The movie is predictable, however, you could probably say that for every rom-com you ever see. I do give credit to the movie because it digs a little deeper than most and does get dark at times. But always bounces back with some cliche we have seen over a dozen times.
It has it’s flaws but the relationship between Aniston and Eckhart is the biggest. It does not ruin the movie. I mean how can Jennifer Aniston ruin a movie. But it is not necessary and if you took that part out, Love Happens would be a different movie. And perhaps even a better one.
“Nature Boy” Brandon Vick is the resident film critic of the SoBros Network, and star of Brandon’s Box Office In Your Mouth. Follow him on Twitter@SirBrandonV and be sure to search #VicksFlicks for all of his latest movie reviews.
Buy our shirt. Like us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter @SoBrosNetwork. Listen on SoundCloud. Watch on YouTube. Shop our store on Redbubble.
