Writer: Syahida Kamarudin

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Effects: NA
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Watch this if you liked: “Sleepless in Seattle”, “P.S. I Love You”, “Personal Effect”

"Love Happens" is one of those dramas that you may like or dislike and yet can't point out why. There are hits and misses - sometimes it picks up when you thought it would just die, and at times it turns sour when you thought it will be more interesting.

In its warmth and poignant take on the subject of loss, guilt and healing, the film puts two characters to the center - Burke, the motivational speaker-writer who helps people dealing with losses yet fails to cope with his own and the florist Eloise who has a penchant for scrawling difficult words on hotel' walls and feels the need to help him.

While Jennifer Aniston is known for her effervescence on screen, this time around you may see age creeping unto her face. Not entirely a bad thing since it helps bringing the wisdom into her character. But whether it has made her a better actress, one cannot say. Aaron Eckhart is a competent actor, but he alone cannot capture the audience's attention. However, the movie found its momentum in the character Walter (played by John Carroll Lynch) whose story will divert your interest from its protagonists.

What one will surely like is its soundtrack. Featuring songs from Rogue Waves, Priscilla Ahn and Eels, it probably will have the same fate as "Smokin' Aces", where the songs are more likeable than the movie you heard them in. If all else fails, at least the scene between Burke and the white parrot will make you go "Awwwwwww..."

Cinema Online, 30 October 2009