I Love You Too (2010)

I Love You Too: Directed by Daina Reid. With Brendan Cowell, Peter Dinklage, Yvonne Strahovski, Peter Helliar. A commitment-phobe and a New Ager buddy-up to win over the women of their respective dreams.

“A question that will plague you for the rest of your (pardon the obvious here) life is: What is life all about? We seek out the answers in books, in academic theses, in movies, and yes, in life itself. As we walked out from the theatres after watching the preview of this movie, we were somewhat convinced that the past 109 minutes have presented us with a rather poignant portrayal of life.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eSurprise, surprise – the movie wasnu0026#39;t manufactured from the Hollywoodu0026#39;s ingenious machines and computers. This time round, itu0026#39;s the kind mates from Down Under who have managed to make a film that is emotionally engaging, as well as enjoyably entertaining.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOur protagonist is 30 plus year old Jim, who is unable to commit to Alice, his girlfriend of three years. Like every other girl, Alice wishes that her boyfriend would say the three magical words – you know which ones, donu0026#39;t you? One situation leads to another, and Alice considers leaving to take up a job in England. Elsewhere, Jim meets the vertically challenged Charlie who gives him a new insight into what love really means. In this somewhere thereu0026#39;s also Jimu0026#39;s best friend Blake, his pregnant sister Marie and her rough edged husband Owen.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWe acknowledge the fact that the synopsis doesnu0026#39;t really sound exciting, but think about it – how exciting is life itself for most of us? What triumphs for this movie is its nice blend of comedy and affecting drama. We hate to say this, but if this screenplay was taken up by a money raking Hollywood studio, or for that matter, a local TV production house, things would have turned out to be a dreary drab of a mess.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMaybe you can call it first time lucky, because here we have first time writer Peter Helliar penning the screenplay. It is also the directorial film debut of Daina Reid. They may not be familiar names with us in this part of the world, but trust us, there is really a lot of heart in this one.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhile watching this well written movie, youu0026#39;d be reflecting on the various aspects of life – love, friendship, kinship and the little episodes which play themselves out amidst these larger grand themes. Helliar have managed to capture the little moments in life which define the greater moments – from the quibbles in a restaurant, the wild parties in a club, to the efforts taken by a friend to cheer his pal up, and a simple desire to connect with someone through writing letters. These setups are written with a fresh touch of humour, which remind of life itseld. Reid has also done a decent job of directing her cast in the various situations, never at once making them caricatures which we are so used in Hollywood movies and TV productions.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe cast delivers fine performances here. Brendan Cowell plays Jim, a familiar man in his 30s who is emotionally diminutive. – not just because he works at a miniature railway. The Australian actor exudes an underachiever charm that is both charismatic and empathizing. Helliar takes on the role of Jimu0026#39;s best friend Blake, who may seem rough and tough on the surface, but has one of the best lines in the movie when he tells Jim what he really feels about their friendship. Yvonne Strahovski plays Alice, the girlfriend who has to make a really important decision about her own life. The sweet looking actress puts her appealing looks to good use here. Fellow Australian actors Birdie Carter and Travis McMahon also display their acting chops in the roles of the wife and husband who are experiencing some bumpy times while expecting their first child.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWatch out also for Peter Dinklageu0026#39;s unforgettable performance as Charlie, the American who changes Jimu0026#39;s life. The actor has achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism, which naturally makes him different from the rest. But that doesnu0026#39;t stop us from commending his moving performance – itu0026#39;s one of the best we have seen this year.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eYou end up feeling and caring for all the characters in the movie, and thatu0026#39;s because you are living life.”