By: debbie lynn elias
Valentine’s Day. A day of romance. A day of laughter. A day of love. A day of vindictive hatred. And all shared with that special someone or, in the case of the latter, comrades in arms in the local bar bashing coupledom. There are many legends surrounding the history and significance of Valentine’s Day, one of the most heartfelt being that set in the time of Roman Emperor Claudius II when a young priest named Valentine refused to obey Claudius’
mandate that no marriages were to be performed. Seems that Claudius believed single men were better soldiers than married ones (less distraction, more pent up energy to vent). But Valentine believed in love and secretly continued to perform marriages, that is until his actions were discovered and he was jailed. On the evening before his execution, he wrote what is believed to be the very first “valentine” when he penned a note to the jailer’s daughter with whom he had fallen in love, that simply said, “From your Valentine.” It wasn’t until the Middle Ages, however, that the day took on a high level of romance thanks to Geoffrey Chaucer and the beauteous traditions of the day involving courting and wooing your beloved. And while flowers, candy and cards have since become the way of the world thanks to Hallmark and 1-800-Flowers, leave it to the master of romance and comedy, director Garry Marshall, to meld the legend, the lore, the laughter and the love into a romantic comedy for all ages, VALENTINE’S DAY.
Let’s call it a “Day in the Life of Valentine” because that’s exactly what we have. Countless couples and singles going about their day, hearts going pitty pat, new loves blossoming, old loves rekindling, truths being told and love and a little justice everywhere you look, well almost everywhere. Reed Bennett has one the best jobs in the world. A true romantic, he owns a flower shop, a tradition and business handed down through the generations of his family. Always looking forward to Valentine’s Day, this year takes on special meaning because he is a man in love – and a man newly engaged on V-Day morning. Making the day even more special is Reed’s best friend, the perpetually perky schoolteacher Julia Fitzpatrick, who has finally found the man of her dreams in cardiology super-surgeon, Dr. Harrison Copeland. Ten year old Edison also finds his heart beating a little faster this V-Day, despite the absence of his mother whom he loves more than anything in the world, as he’s in love with an older woman. Then there’s Edison’s grandparents, Edgar and Estelle, as much in love now as they were 51 years ago, they’re looking forward to their V-Day tradition and in true romantic fashion will be watching B&W films at the Hollywood Cemetery, the very place where Edgar first saw the beautiful Estelle up on the movie screen. Meanwhile, young Grace and Alex are planning the perfect way to consummate their love on V-Day. And what about Liz, a very sexy and somewhat quirky talent agency receptionist who has embarked on a new relationship with agent-in-training Josh Morris, all under the watchful eye of their boss, uber-agent, Paula Thomas, a woman less than in love with V-Day and obsessed with work and her number one client, football free agent Sean Jackson. Joining in Paula’s bah-humbug V-Day attitude is Jackson’s publicist, Kara Monahan, who is obsessing about her annual “I Hate V-Day” party and the lack of RSVP’s. But then there’s the man who has to cover the day, find the stories and find the love, the man who himself hates V-day with a passion, none other than #2 sportsman at KLUV-TV, Kelvin Moore. And winging through the skies overhead are Captain Kate Hazeltine and a man named Holden, who look more like Cupid’s arrow has struck them, than two strangers heading to LA to meet up with their respective special someones.
Taking us through the day from sunrise to sunset, we are treated to a travelogue of the beauty that Los Angeles has to offer as we follow our cast of characters and their adventures, or mis-adventures, in love. With surprises abounding and hearts full, paths cross, lives intertwine and at the end of the day……well……..that’s for you to find out.
Garry Marshall is a Svengali when it comes to casting a film and with VALENTINE’S DAY, it’s probably easier to list who isn’t in this film, than who is. Not only has Marshall brought in his stalwart lucky charm of Hector Elizondo (a casting mandate written into every deal Marshall makes), but all the familiar faces we have come to know and love in a Marshall picture over the years – Larry Miller, Kathleen Marshall, Scott Marshall, Tracy Reiner, Rance Howard, Alec Nemser, Christine Lakin, a princess of a gal in Anne Hathaway, and oh yes, some pretty woman named Julia Roberts. But then he tosses in Ashton Kutcher, Kathy Bates, Queen Latifah, Jamie Foxx, Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Jennifer Garner, Drs. McDreamy and McSteamy – Patrick Dempsey and Eric Dane, Topher Grace, Bradley Cooper, Emma Roberts, George Lopez, Taylor Swift, and the icing on the cake, the grande dame of them all, Shirley MacLaine. WHEW!!!! And there is not a bad performance in the bunch.
Ashton Kutcher is particularly effective as florist Reed Bennett while Jennifer Garner is exuberant joy. I always enjoy Kathy Bates and Queen Latifah and here is no different. Anne Hathaway shows a rather interesting side of her talents and Jessica Biel nails deadpan slapstick comedy to a tee. And Larry Miller is as funny as always. Endearing the characters are continual subtleties, puns and plays on themselves and roles for which they have long been associated. And let me just say that little things that you forever remember about a character, actor or earlier Marshall movies are celebrated here with all the love befitting Valentine’s Day itself. (Catch Shirley Maclaine’s entrance into the Hollywood Cemetery. Can anyone spell, “Endora”? Patrick Dempsey as a doctor? Jennifer Garner beating the crap out of a heart a la Sidney Briscow? And Julia Roberts, well, considering that a portion of the film involves Rodeo Drive, the “Reg Bev Wilsh” and everyone’s favorite pretty woman… just make sure you stay through the credits!)
Written by Katherine Fugate, best known for “The Prince & Me”, “Army Wives” and some episodes of “Xena: Warrior Princess”, the script is smartly structured with the various storylines bearing common threads that eventually tie everything together. Celebrating multiple generations and their various takes on love and romance, there is something for everyone with some sage advice being dispensed along the way. Predictable? Yes. The stories are routine, everyday, run-of-the mill, and something each of us has experienced at one time or another. But the beauty lies in the performance and the viewing of each story which in of themselves spawn some very funny moments. Are there moments of convolution due to too many stories? Yes. But in the grand scheme of the enjoyable candy-heart sweet fluff of the film, those are minor flaws.
Garry Marshall is a magician as a director. He knows his audience. He knows his story. He knows his characters and his actor. He delivers what we expect and here he does it all tied up in a heart-shaped box with a big red bow – make that lots of big red bows. Kitschy? You bet. But it’s fun! Marshall’s love for Los Angeles is evident as he visits every major attraction and site in the area, from the NoHo Arts District (which is home to his theatre company) to Downtown, mid-Wilshire, Burbank, Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, the “Reg Bev Wilsh” (okay, it’s now the Beverly Wilshire), the Valley, Ventura Boulevard, the 405, Westchester, Hollywood, the Venice Canals. Quite honestly, I found it quite fun wondering what location we would see next. Longtime Marshall editor Bruce Green works wonder tying everything together with a cohesive flow giving a true sense of time passing but in a cognitive, sensible manner. Difficult at best, showcasing each of the actors is a daunting task here as just when you are wowed with one star, up pops someone else totally unexpected. The success of the “wow” is due not only to the casting, but Green’s editing. Cinematographer Charles Minsky, also a Marshall veteran, does a beautiful job, particularly at the Venice Canals and in Reed Bennett’s flower shop.
A real hit is the soundtrack, all overseen by John Debney, and featuring some wonderful songs by Taylor Swift amidst classics of love and loss through the decades.
To paraphrase one of the most famous lines from a Marshall classic – it would be a big mistake, big, huge mistake to miss VALENTINE’S DAY. A perfect date movie. A perfect movie for all ages. Laced with laughter, saccharine sweetness and enough hearts, flowers, ribbons and bows to melt even the coldest heart, VALENTINE’S DAY is Garry Marshall’s own special valentine to us.
Ashton Kutcher – Reed Bennett
Jennifer Garner – Julia Fitzgerald
Julia Roberts – Captain Kate Hazeltine
Queen Latifah – Paula Thomas
Jamie Foxx – Kelvin Moore
Eric Dane – Sean Jackson
Bradley Cooper – Holden
Shirley MacLaine –
Hector Elizondo – Edgar
Anne Hathaway – Liz
Directed by Garry Marshall. Written by Katherine Fugate.
