Starring: Diane Lane, John Cusack and Elizabeth Perkins
Director: David Goldberg
Rated: M15+
IF you wonder what on earth a film with a title like Must Love Dogs could be about, then a reminder that personal columns (and online dating services) have this kind of pithy indication of tastes and interests of the advertisers.
When Sarah (Diane Lane) secludes herself after her husband leaves her, her sisters take over and put a notice on a Web site including this canine requirement.
As usual, there is a comic collage of all the unlikely and unsuitable types who answer such ads.
In the meantime, boat builder Jake (John Cusack) is moping because his wife has left him. This is not a suspense thriller or mystery, so it’s a matter of watching how these two eventually come together, their attraction and their clashes.
In other words, an information technology era romantic comedy.
Fortunately, Diane Lane is at her best and, though not glamorous, most attractive.
John Cusack has done this kind of genially bewildered gentleman before.
There is a big cast of Sarah’s Irish Catholic extended family (who reflect the current bypassing of the religious and moral heritage – “blame the nuns”), especially Elizabeth Perkins as her controlling older sister and Christopher Plummer, nicely patriarchal, as her father.
Stockard Channing turns up as a seeming gold-digger who tailors her online messages to suit her imagination rather than reality.
This is one of those comedies where everyone does something stupid, comes to their senses, faces reality with a bit more honesty and tries to do something better with their lives.
Its success comes mainly from the audience-friendly performance of the two stars, especially Diane Lane.
