P.S. I LOVE YOU (2007)

P.S. I LOVE YOU
***
Rating: PG-13
Length: 126 minutes
Director: Richard LaGravenese (Freedom Writers; Paris, je t’aime)
Writers: Richard LaGravenese (The Fisher King; The Bridges of Madison County) and Steven Rogers (Stepmom; Hope Floats)
Starring: Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Kathy Bates, Lisa Kudrow, Harry Connick, Jr., Nellie McKay, Gina Gershon, James Marsters, Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Watching the TV spots for “P.S. I Love You” I was expecting a goofy chick flick, instead it was a thoughtful film on grieving over a lost loved one. It’s still, by all means, a chick flick, but it’s a chick flick with substance. This isn’t Cameron Diaz territory. Good thing they got an actual actress, two time Oscar winner Hilary Swank, to play the lead. Holly is left widowed by her charming Irish husband Gerry (“300”’s Gerard Butler) before she turns 30 (by a brain tumor). They married young and he was the only man she had ever been with- not counting a boy she kinda dated before she met Gerry on a vacation to Ireland. Holly goes through some serious mourning until she starts receiving letters from Gerry that he wrote to her before his death. The letters are meant to help her move on and include guides on how to get rid of all of his old stuff, have a return visit to Ireland, and, of course, fall in love again. There happens to be a local New York bartender (Harry Connick, Jr.) who has fallen for her and she isn’t sure how to handle it. There’s also the token best friends (Lisa Kudrow; Gina Gershon) and the overprotective mom (Kathy Bates). Swank is able to show her versatility as an actress in the lead and she gets some good supporting work from her cast- including one of my favorite singers Nellie McKay (!) in her first movie role as Holly’s sister. Connick is also pretty charming, though his character is kind of clumsily handled from time to time. Despite it all, the movie actually is pretty limited on it’s clichés. It does carry a fair amount of sentimentality so be forewarned- your girlfriend/wife is more than likely going to cry at the end of this movie. It may be their new “Notebook”.

Download Soundtrack MP3s:
The Pogues- Love You ‘till the End
Nellie McKay- P.S. I Love You

Find Showtimes Here
Pre-order the DVD Here (Out on 5/6)
Buy the Soundtrack here

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