"P.S. I Love You" Tries to Show Heart

Genres: Drama and Adaptation
Running Time: 1 hr. 59 min.
Release Date: December 21st, 2007 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sexual references and brief nudity.
Distributors: Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution

Directed by: Richard LaGravenese

JJ Rating: B

Holly (Hilary Swank) and Gerry (Gerard Butler) are so in love. Gerry dies. Holly cries. Then letters start flowing in that from Gerry to urge and push Holly to get up and move, and eventually move on. P.S. I Love You.

The idea for this movie is sweet and charming. To have one last moment with a loved one that past away is something most would want, but to get letters from them when they are gone is something that's more. It's something that would be exciting and thrilling to occur.

Gerard Butler is fantastic. Every time he is in the scene he just steals it. He's the dead guy but he's the one that everyone pays attention to and brings the movie to life. Hilary Swank was alright. This is something that I think she might need to work on. She's a great actress but this isn't one of her strong suits. When she cries it is sad but it's not the right kind of sad that would translate well for this type of story that sort of dabbles in the romantic comedy area. Nellie McKay played Holly's sister Ciara. She was a pocket of light in this film. Whenever she was in the scene it was peppy and bright. She was cheerful. Harry Connick Jr. played a love interest and he was different. He had a truthful tongue that stung, but in a heartfelt manner.

This great idea for a movie came from a book. I did not read the book. It had heart and great characters and created caring. The problem with the film, I had, was it was long. It's about five minutes shorter than National Treasure: Book of Secrets and it felt like it was 20 minutes longer. When a love story drags in certain areas it makes it difficult to care as much as one should for the character's plight and how they feel. I think they spent too much time showing how she felt down after her husband's death.

This is a chick flick. I did want to see it. I thought it would be good. It was good. I really liked the scenes that Harry Connick Jr. was in. His scenes were my favorite. I liked the ending. It was not something that I thought would happen, which made the ending a nice surprise. That is the one thing about this film is that it is not the traditional love story. There are some great funny moments that they did show in the trailer, as well as ones that they did not. It also had a few surprises that are a tad unexpected.

P.S. I Love You was something that the end of each letter had. It's also a movie I won't put onto my shelf. I do think it was good, but it's not my type of movie. I wouldn't really want to see it again either. As touching as the storyline might be the creation of it into a movie lost something. P.S. I Love You was an interesting twist on death and letting go with enough heart to make it felt. But it could have tugged a little more on those heart strings. It could have, if it wanted to.