Having seen the original previews for this film I had just assumed it was a romantic, cutesy comedy with Brittany Murphy and I definitely wanted to see it. Turns out it wasn't exactly what was expected. It's far from, perhaps the furthest I have ever seen from, the typical "romantic comedy." I would even say don't call it a romantic comedy but rather more of a black comedy minus romance.
Little Black Book is the story of a girl named Stacey who since she was a little girl dreamed of being a journalist working with Diane Sawyer. She starts from the bottom and gradually works her way up to a syndicated "Jerry Springeresque" talk show with host Kippie Kann. She is taken under the wing of another producer Barb, who is rather bitter about life and men. While attempting to come up with scandalous ideas for the show Stacey begins to believe her current boyfriend of a year may be hiding things and the best way to find out what he is hiding is to dig a little into his past, especially when she finds out his past is in the shape of a supermodel guest they have on the show. Together with Barb and another producer they interview her under the guise of being "for the show." She discovers a little about what he may be hiding. It's not enough for her and she digs deeper by finding out more of his exes including his first love Joyce. Stacey gets herself caught in finding out what he's hiding by lying her way into each of his exes lives. Unfortunately she comes to really like Joyce and realize that what she feels for him is very real, and the possibility that the love of her life may belong with someone else.
Brittany Murphy is very quirky in this movie. She seems very child like and odd at times and has a very strange look to her but it's a likable cutesy and perhaps very realistic look. Her character is flawed and insecure and we can all relate to how she's feeling. Holly Hunter plays the role of the best friend who is a little brash and you think Murphy might perhaps be good for her but in the end she stays Brash and rather unlikeable. Ron Livingston who plays the boyfriend is just okay. The more we find out with Stacey about him, the less we seem to like him as well. Kathy Bates is very good as the pompous, sour, sexist talk show host, and one of the hidden gems of the film is Kevin Sussman as the under-appreciated Ira who really does care about everyone's feelings.
The movie is a little slow paced, and a little slow getting started but Murphy is entertaining enough to keep it watchable. The plot is funny and there are some very hearty laughs throughout the movie and most of them come from Murphy, no surprise there. She basically carries this film. Where it really unfortunately falls apart is the ending. Nick Hurran who basically has nothing notable to his director credentials seems to have just slapped on a rather sloppy ending. Stacey, who is a very likable character never gets to redeem herself and although she does accomplish her top goal in life, she still has that mark of lying to everyone on her. Her best friend betrays her and sells her out for a story and she is forced to tell everyone the truth rather than coming clean herself. The ending is definitely outside the usual romantic comedy ending and there is nothing wrong with that, although we never really find out if Stacey's inclinations about Derek and Joyce are right. There is some redemption is seeing Stacey get her life dream that is made very clean throughout is her happy ending. It's nice to see she doesn't need a man to accomplish her happiness.
The movie is definitely funny, heartfelt at times and despite the sloppy and almost movie ruining ending it is worth seeing. It will make you laugh, or rather Brittany Murphy will make you laugh. She definitely holds the weight of the film up all on her own. But she pulls it off and kudos to her for that. 6.5/10
Little Black Book is the story of a girl named Stacey who since she was a little girl dreamed of being a journalist working with Diane Sawyer. She starts from the bottom and gradually works her way up to a syndicated "Jerry Springeresque" talk show with host Kippie Kann. She is taken under the wing of another producer Barb, who is rather bitter about life and men. While attempting to come up with scandalous ideas for the show Stacey begins to believe her current boyfriend of a year may be hiding things and the best way to find out what he is hiding is to dig a little into his past, especially when she finds out his past is in the shape of a supermodel guest they have on the show. Together with Barb and another producer they interview her under the guise of being "for the show." She discovers a little about what he may be hiding. It's not enough for her and she digs deeper by finding out more of his exes including his first love Joyce. Stacey gets herself caught in finding out what he's hiding by lying her way into each of his exes lives. Unfortunately she comes to really like Joyce and realize that what she feels for him is very real, and the possibility that the love of her life may belong with someone else.
Brittany Murphy is very quirky in this movie. She seems very child like and odd at times and has a very strange look to her but it's a likable cutesy and perhaps very realistic look. Her character is flawed and insecure and we can all relate to how she's feeling. Holly Hunter plays the role of the best friend who is a little brash and you think Murphy might perhaps be good for her but in the end she stays Brash and rather unlikeable. Ron Livingston who plays the boyfriend is just okay. The more we find out with Stacey about him, the less we seem to like him as well. Kathy Bates is very good as the pompous, sour, sexist talk show host, and one of the hidden gems of the film is Kevin Sussman as the under-appreciated Ira who really does care about everyone's feelings.
The movie is a little slow paced, and a little slow getting started but Murphy is entertaining enough to keep it watchable. The plot is funny and there are some very hearty laughs throughout the movie and most of them come from Murphy, no surprise there. She basically carries this film. Where it really unfortunately falls apart is the ending. Nick Hurran who basically has nothing notable to his director credentials seems to have just slapped on a rather sloppy ending. Stacey, who is a very likable character never gets to redeem herself and although she does accomplish her top goal in life, she still has that mark of lying to everyone on her. Her best friend betrays her and sells her out for a story and she is forced to tell everyone the truth rather than coming clean herself. The ending is definitely outside the usual romantic comedy ending and there is nothing wrong with that, although we never really find out if Stacey's inclinations about Derek and Joyce are right. There is some redemption is seeing Stacey get her life dream that is made very clean throughout is her happy ending. It's nice to see she doesn't need a man to accomplish her happiness.
The movie is definitely funny, heartfelt at times and despite the sloppy and almost movie ruining ending it is worth seeing. It will make you laugh, or rather Brittany Murphy will make you laugh. She definitely holds the weight of the film up all on her own. But she pulls it off and kudos to her for that. 6.5/10