Pulling out a romantic comedy about a gal who believes she doesn't need a loving relationship but then gets cancer and finds she's missing love in her life is a difficult task.
The material has to be really good to not come off as too flip or unbelievable. The chemistry among characters needs to be strong. The story needs to pull you in emotionally.
Sadly, "A Little Bit of Heaven" doesn't pull it off. Oh, it has a few moments that'll make you laugh. But they are in between what seem to be long stretches of painful awkwardness.
Had I seen the trailer before the screening, I probably would have skipped this one. You can just tell.
In "A Little Bit of Heaven," Kate Hudson plays Marley, the gal who doesn't believe in love. She's been adorable at times in romantic comedies. This time, she's not. She's a girl with a guys sensibilities - work hard, play hard, no need for being tied down for love. As you watch, you don't believe it. Then, in good romantic comedy fashion, there's a spark. But the chemistry between her and her doc (Gael García Bernal) is nonexistent. I get that it should be awkward at first, but after they've been in bed? Well, it just seemed that way. Then something gets in the way, and then they make up. Yada, yada.
Making it even more unbelievable was Marley's trip to heaven during his medical scare. This is where, obviously, she meets God and makes three wishes. Huh? Isn't that supposed to happen with a genie? Anyway, happens God appears in the form of Whoopi Goldberg. The whole heaven in the clouds comes off as silly and old fashioned. Maybe it's me?
My feeling is if you drag your guy to this one, you'll owe him for a long time. This 106 minute movie feels like it's closer to 2 1/2 hours. You'll celebrate when it's over.
That said, te movie did eventually pull at my heart just a little. My eyes did get misty near the end. Can't say why. Rated PG-13 for sexual content, including crude references, and language. My grade D.
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