Pretty Woman, 1990

Pretty Woman, 1990
Director: Gary Marshall
Cast: Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Jason Alexander




Stage: Home TV selection



Pretty Woman in short: Edward is a rich, ruthless businessman who specializes in taking over companies and then selling them off piece by piece. He travels to Los Angeles for a business trip and decides to hire a prostitute. They take a liking to each other and he offers her money if she'll stay with him for an entire week while he makes the "rich and famous" scene (since it doesn't do for a man of his stature to be alone at society parties and polo matches). Romantic comedy (and complications) ensue.


Preps: Don't need them seen this a thousand times. One of my favourites from my youth. My mother also adored this piece. I can watch it or have it as a background. I know it by heart.


Reality: As said, my classic from my junior/primary school. Always wanted to be Vivien Leigh.The movie is about falling in love and making something in your life that brings you happiness - in this case, falling for the man/woman of your life.
The movie is a hot example for a romantic comedy. This was one of the first memorable ones of the end eighties period. Also set some standards. At that time, we watched either this, or Ghost (for the romance), or on the other hand, Police Academy. Luckily there weren't so many movies as these days, when you cannot follow them - the market is overfilled with them.

Now, the movie has some drives and moves other should follow. First, a lovely lady. Or better said, a lovely wreck that after seduction and fancy clothes becomes a lady. Gere in this sense represents a guy every girl in the world wants to be with. Charming, well mannered, filthy rich and ready to spoil a woman. I mean it. Dinners, evenings at the opera, living in a penthouse, .. it just never ends in this week. With all the charming qualities he is showing in this week, it's quite normal and predictable that she falls in love with him and that he falls in love with her.

The movie is depicted a bit off normal wheels. It is not a repeatable situation, I mean by that. But it shows a perspective (like if you win a lottery, you have perspective). So in this case, they both end up winning a lottery, and everyone is happy.
Storywise, it's not a peak of all peaks. But in any case, I am still very keen on this piece. I virtually know all the dialogues by heart. I love the way the director exposes the manager of the hotel, and the butler. And I love the anti-person we have. Always we have one in these comedies. Stuckey in this case, makes me hate him from the very beginning.
Obviously the audience waits if this what we all have been waiting for, resolves in a fairy tale. It all ends up well in Hollywood, doesn't it? :)

The piece has also a good soundtrack. Back in 80ies, I got an original for myself. Also know it by heart. It is a movie that always reminds me of my young days that I spent with my mother, in front of TV. Always brings back memories.



My personal rating: 8,0 (for its period and placement, genre, a solid and good positive piece).


Pretty woman on IMDB

Valentine's day, 2010

Valentine's day, 2010
Director:Gary Marshall
Cast: Jessica Alba, Kathy Bates, Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Garner, Queen Latifah,..... (amazing cast!)



Short synopsis: Intertwining couples and singles in Los Angeles break-up and make-up based on the pressures and expectations of Valentine's Day.

Stage: Colloseum, multiplex in Ljubljana

Preps: Where was the last time the cast was this amazing? How much budget did this movie have? I wanted to see it as a parade of all superb actors. The topic is a bit off, the surprising fact that it was launched after valentine's day, was a shock to me. What a disastrous marketing, that kind of movie should have been launched a month before, so you can get prepared.
And definitely a kind of movie you need to watch with a girlfriend (I mean two girls together). I don't suppose there is a guy in the world that would bare this.


Reality: It's a good one if you look from cast perspective. I love some of the dialogues, especially the Julia Roberts scenes and some of Ashton Kutcher. This guy's faces make me laugh the whole time. And he plays this naive florist, walking around in an outrageous pink sweater and T-shirt. The couples are so beautiful it takes women's breath away. And yes, you would walk home with that Eric Dane, of course he is gay in the movie. How ironic.

About the other, valentine's perspective - I love the fact that they outline also the ones that have noone to turn to on this glorious marketing day. A friend of mine once told me it's the festive day of florists and toy makers. And marketing. I have to agree on this one :) Within the movie you see a splendid show of the people that hate this day for any kind of reason, a sort of ritual I laughed even the day after about with the hitting stick and a heart, filled with chocolates, an anti-valentine's dinner and people burning pictures or memories of someone that hurt them.

Mushy couples might really enjoy this. And it's really pleasant to see such a cast in action :)


A good quote I remembered:
My closest relationship is with my Blackberry, Thank God it vibrates !

A cute one: When I was a kid, most of the advice that my dad gave me was crap. But there's one thing that he said that was pure genius... he said, if you're ever with a girl that's too good for you, marry her.

My personal rating: 6,5 (the story's not really brilliant, but you will enjoy the cast and laugh at some of the dialogues)

Valentine's on IMDB
Official site