FOOLS RUSH IN
1/2
Sherrie Lee
Directed by: Andy Tennant
Main Cast: Alex Whitman (Matthew Perry), Isabel Fuentes (Salma Hayek)
Rated: PG
Length: 106 min
Rating: * * * 1/2 out of * * * * *
FOLLY IN LOVE
"Dating is stupid" declares Matthew Perry's Alex Whitman. He must really think so, for he marries Isabel (Salma Hayek) in a cheap little chapel amidst the bright lights of Las Vegas after a one-night stand. Talk about a whirlwind romance. However, despit e what initially seems like a cliched plot, "Fools Rush In" is surprisingly delightful -- a well-acted romance comedy which substitutes over-the-top mush with spot-on wit and humour.
Alex Whitman is a straight-laced corporate type who looks and feels like he was born for the commercial jungles of Manhattan. Home, for him, is where the money and excitement is. Sent to the searing deserts of Nevada to oversee the building of a club for his company, he meets the sultry Isabel (is there ever another adjective used to describe Salma Hayek?), a fiery Mexican who holds dear all that Alex belittles, and vice versa.
Three months later, Isabel shows up again, this time pregnant. And as the story goes, they get married: life for both of them is never to be the same thereafter. To begin with, both hail from distinctively different cultures. She likes jalepenos, but give him a hotdog any day. There are personality clashes. He's a realistic and pragmatic stiff neck in starched suit and tie, whereas she's a romantic who places huge emphasis on spirituality and believes whole-heartedly in "signs". The only thing they have i n common was their unborn child, and the feelings they have for each other.
Okay, so I hear you saying, "Ya, ya, its another one of those cheesy run-of-the-mill romantic things, like A WALK IN THE CLOUDS, (which by the way was a movie I quite enjoyed, sorry if this casts aspersions on my credibility as a reviewer)..." But wait, hear me out. Granted, there were several moments in the initial half of the movie where I wondered if I was not watching an extended episode of "Friends," with a special focus on Chandler. When delivering his witty one-liners, Matthew Perry plays Alex th e way he does Chandler, which isn't so bad if you enjoyed Chandler on "Friends", but it might seem dislocated in the context of FOOLS RUSH IN. Salma Hayek too, seemed like nothing more than the one-dimensional token bimbo of the movie at first. When she first mutters "I believe in signs" in her husky accented voice, you're tempted to write her off as nothing more than a sexy Hispanic dingbat.
Fortunately, this is not all there is to the movie. Director Andy Tennant allows the characters plenty of room to flourish and develop, and the good acting skills of both Perry and Hayek came shining through. We soon discern a greater level of sensitivity and complexity in Alex, a man who is torn between love and advancement in his career. Isabel, as well, quickly proves herself to be an independent spirit, one with intelligence and passion to boot. Finally, it becomes a journey of discovery for both, in which the lesson to be learned is "Love is a gift, not an obligation.".
The Flying Inkpot Rating System:
* Wait for the TV2 broadcast.
** A little creaky, but still better than staying at home with Gotcha!
*** Pretty good, bring a friend.
**** Amazing, potent stuff.
***** Perfection. See it twice.
Sherrie Lee is one stressed-out pianna player.
Read other movie reviews at the Inkpot
Other film reviews by this writer can be obtained from the InkVault by doing a key word search with this writer's name.Other film reviews by other writers can also be obtained from the InkVault through key word searches.
Explore the Flying Inkpot
They're Alive!
Concert Reviews
Bit deadish:
Other Resources at The Flying InkpotHome
