Melanie (Reese Witherspoon) is a new fashion designer slash southern belle trying to make it in New York. Things are going well when Andrew Hennings (Patrick Dempsey) proposes to her. He's the son of the Mayor and is quite a charming successful guy. Only she has a secret. She is still married to her childhood love (Josh Lucas) back home in Alabama.
This movie faces two challenges from the standard rom-com point of view. The mayor's son is actually very charming, very nice, and a great guy overall. There's no way to make him a bad guy. So Josh Lucas has to really sell it in this movie. Except he has a handicap from the second challenge. She's begging for a divorce, and he's a big fat jerk who keeps refusing her. They fight and he doesn't give her a divorce. He angers her and he doesn't give her a divorce. It brings to mind the lyrics "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free".
There really isn't a mean spirit in this movie. The characters are all generally nice people. There is a good notion of big city versus small town values. But none of it is too compelling. It's an unassuming rom-com.
This movie faces two challenges from the standard rom-com point of view. The mayor's son is actually very charming, very nice, and a great guy overall. There's no way to make him a bad guy. So Josh Lucas has to really sell it in this movie. Except he has a handicap from the second challenge. She's begging for a divorce, and he's a big fat jerk who keeps refusing her. They fight and he doesn't give her a divorce. He angers her and he doesn't give her a divorce. It brings to mind the lyrics "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free".
There really isn't a mean spirit in this movie. The characters are all generally nice people. There is a good notion of big city versus small town values. But none of it is too compelling. It's an unassuming rom-com.