Rant & Raves

P.S. I Love You is a so-called “chickflick”, but after watching it, I have to give it more credits than calling it a chickflick. I think it is more like drama and romance category movie, which is way better than being called chickflicks.

Sypnosis:
Holly (by Hilary Swank) and Gerry (Gerard Butler, whom also played King Leonidas in 300, which I wrote about here) met many years ago when Holly was on a holiday in Ireland, and they fell in love at first sight. Then they were married when they were both young, staying in New York, but they were constantly fighting because Holly had no idea what she wanted to do in life, so she kept changing job, bitching about idiot bosses while both of them struggling to buy an apartment of their own.

They were very much in love, but at the age of 35, Gerry passed away because of brain tumor. Holly clung on to anything related to Gerry and basically gave up her life. Later, she found out that Gerry bought her 30th birthday cake in advance, and the package contained a tape recorder, telling her that there will be 10 letters from him.

From that moment onwards, Holly became alive and anxious in anticipation of the letters, and lived by the instructions set out by the dead husband. She went to Ireland, the home country of Gerry, to visit the parents-in-law. She went to nightclub to celebrate as per instructed. She went to Karaoke as requested by Gerry.

Finally, the last letter came, and telling her to move on. The previous letters were sent by Gerry to help her to regain her life, to move on from his passing, and to be brave to fall in love again.

Likes:
- The real portray of how one deal with the passing of a love one. If you have experienced this before, you will understand, and reflect back, how on you dug out the drawers and cupboards to find that something to cling on to, and not giving up, afraid of forgetting how the love one feels like, sounds like, taste like, looks like, and etc.
- The plot is pretty good. In some movies, you can pretty much predict what will happen next. But in this one, it is sometimes throwing surprises to the viewers, not knowing what the dead husband will ask the widowed wife to do.

Dislikes:
- Hilary Swank. Don’t be mistaken that she is one hell of an actress, but somehow I just don’t see her in this character. Maybe she has a too strong figure, or she looked too darn fierce, but I think this movie will be much better if the leading actress is played by some one else, like Kate Blanchet, Kate Beckinsale, or even Jessica Alba.
- This is definitely spoiling the market for the men. I mean, a lot of female said, “Oh this guy is so romantic! How I wish my couch-potato husband would be a tad more romantic.” So girls, don’t start to expect us to the Gerry, but you can choose to see us as your Gerry.

Conclusion:
The movie is portraying a very real emotional turmoil of a person when loosing someone we love. In many scenes, the viewers can be touched and some can be reduced to tears. Hilary Swank is a great actress, but somehow she doesn’t fit into this role. Maybe its her men-like feature, her strong jawline, or something. I just think that someone with sweet face, like for example, Kate Beckinsale, or Jessica Alba, or Paz Vega. They would look more fragile and vulnerable than Hilary Swank. For that, I am only giving out 4 out of 5.

Afterthoughts:
Sometimes, even after one person passed away, or no longer with us (like a break-up), we can still feel the person being with us, watching us closely. Sometimes, we would talk to the air, but in our head, we can feel what that person would be saying because we know each other for so long and so well. In this movie, in many scenes, it is either a flashback or Holly was talking to her self, hugging herself while feeling that Gerry was holding her back. That’s very touching and very true of how one would feel.

I like the last letter that Gerry sent to Holly, and here is the transcript of the last letter. I hope that you will find it meaningful as I did.

Dear Holly,

I don’t have much time. I don’t mean literally, but you are out buying ice-cream and you’ll be home soon.

This is the last letter because there’s only one thing left to tell you. It isn’t to go down memory lane or go buy a lamp; you can take care of yourself without any help from me. It’s to tell you how much you moved me, how you changed me. You made me a man by loving me, and for that I am eternally grateful.

If you can promise me one thing, promise me that whenever you are sad, or unsure, or lose complete faith, that you will try and see yourself through my eyes.

Thank you for the honor for being my wife. I am a man with no regrets. How lucky am I. You made my life, Holly. But I am just one chapter in yours, and there will be more, I promise.

So here comes the big one; don’t be afraid to fall in love again. Watch out for that signal when life as you know it ends.

P.S., I will always love you.

And here is the official movie preview.