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  When in Rome
Touchstone/Disney
Directed By: Mark Steven Johnson
Starring: Kristen Bell, Josh Duhamel
Purchase Online
Official Website
 

The Short:  The good thing is that it feels like a 'modern era' romantic comedy for the year 2010. It does have a few short-comings though. It had potential that It didn’t reach but that shouldn’t keep you from seeing it.

When in Rome isn’t the best romantic comedy that’s ever been made. It’s a decent flick starring Kristen Bell and Josh Duhammel that feels like one of this decade’s first true ‘modern’ romantic comedies. Most of the romantic comedy movies you see these days are about 40 something women looking for love and starring the same actresses that were used ten years ago. When in Rome has a modern approach to the romantic comedy featuring a strong cast of young actors on the rise.

When in Rome stars Kristen Bell. Bell plays Beth, a young curator who works too much and worries about her personal life too little. Her little sister is getting married in Rome and Beth makes the trip to do her family duties. While desperately looking for quality cell phone coverage in Rome she runs into Nick, a man that seems to be her perfect fit from the beginning. The two hit it off immediately until things take a turn for the worse, and Beth winds up drunk and alone. She makes her way to a magical Roman fountain, rumored to have powers in love- she pulls several coins out of the fountain and all of a sudden she’s got more than her share of potential suitors.

The cast for When In Rome was its strength. Bell was great in the lead role and Duhammel was just as good as her opposite. The role characters were all solid guys too including Will Arnett as a struggling artist, Dax Sheppard as an egotistical male model, Danny Devito as head of a sausage empire, and John Heder as a newb magician. It’s slightly disappointing that Heder and Devito didn’t get more attention as potential suitors but there’s only so much time available on screen for minor roles in a movie.

When in Rome had a strong enough cast to make an excellent movie, but instead it just winds up being okay. It’s got more than its fair share of problems- it’s a little too silly for its own good at times, Bobby Moynihan was awful in his role as Nick’s best friend Puck. Every scene he's in becomes terrible because even though his dialogue was written well, he delivers it horribly. The movement of the story is another problem. It's too slow at times and doesn’t make that much sense the rest of the time. It’s not a terrible, movie- it’s just an adequate one and it should have been better.

The special features on the Blu-Ray are decent with some behind the scenes and bloopers stuff. The alternate ending and opening are promoted with the Blu-Ray release but there's a reason why they weren't used in the final cut of the film... it's because they're not good.

A few problems with the script and other flaws don’t keep When in Rome from being a movie to see. Bell and Duhammel were great in lead roles and as noted before it feels like a 'modern era' romantic comedy for the year 2010.  It had potential that It didn’t reach but that shouldn’t keep you from seeing it.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


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