In 1962 New York City, love blossoms between a playboy journalist and a feminist advice author.In 1962 New York City, love blossoms between a playboy journalist and a feminist advice author.In 1962 New York City, love blossoms between a playboy journalist and a feminist advice author.
- Awards
- 4 wins & 8 nominations
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe extra scene at the end with Ewan McGregor and Renée Zellweger singing a duet was filmed at the insistence of Zellweger and McGregor. They said that with both of them having been in musicals previously (McGregor in Moulin Rouge! (2001) and Zellweger in Chicago (2002)) that it would be a sin not to.
- GoofsWhen Barbara confesses to Catcher in his apartment, they are both standing, but when Gwendolyn enters his apartment and races to Barbara after she over-hears Catcher say "Barbara Novak", Catcher is sitting on the edge of the bed.
- Quotes
Catcher Block: [as Zip Martin] Can you keep a secret?
Barbara Novak: Yes.
Catcher Block: [as Zip Martin] Me too.
- Crazy creditsThe movie opens with the big CinemaScope logo 20th Century Fox used fifty years before.
- Alternate versionsThe TV version distributed in the UK excludes most of the split-screen phone call, presumably for time and due to the potential interpretation of the cinematography.
- ConnectionsEdited from Oh! For a Man! (1957)
- SoundtracksDown with Love
Music by Harold Arlen
Lyrics by E.Y. Harburg
Performed by Michael Bublé and Holly Palmer
Produced by Marc Shaiman
Michael Bublé appears courtesy of 143/Reprise Records
Holly Palmer appears courtesy of Reprise Records
Featured review
Well, 'Down With Love' turned out to be a unexpectedly pleasant surprise. Love many of the late 50s and 60s sex romantic comedies, 'Pillow Talk' being a primary example, and can't get enough of those with Doris Day and Rock Hudson which this film clearly was paying homage to. There was the worry though as to whether 'Down With Love' would be just another heavily predictable film with forced comedy moments, no romantic chemistry and no charm with talented casts wasted.
Luckily, 'Down With Love' on the most part was not one of those films. It is a satire and celebration of the sex romantic comedies from the late 50s and in particular the 60s, being set in 1962, and mostly does a really good job, capturing the fun, kitsch, charm, froth and affectionate nostalgia of the period and the films with incredibly impressive results. Is it as good as the films it's satirising and celebrating? No. Are the two leads and their chemistry on the same level as Day and Hudson or even Day and James Garner? Not in a million years, but this is a tall order with not many actors and actresses today having the same amount of appeal and that special one of a kind chemistry that those stars had.
'Down With Love' is not perfect. It is easy to dismiss the story as being slight and predictable, and it is. One does have to bear in mind though that the story was not exactly the strong suit in the sex romantic comedies of the late 50s and 60s, it was the production values, the stars, the supporting cast, the writing (on the most part) and the chemistry between the stars that elevated those films to a greater level.
Mostly the script is fine, but it is not without its clunkers. Especially that homosexual accusation, that was cringe-worthy, completely out of place and if it was made in either of the decades that are being satirised and celebrated it would have been anachronistic and would have been anachronistic in its 1962 setting. A few of the more twisty moments were too obvious and didn't serve much point and it occasionally affected the pacing. It was nice to see Tony Randall again, but he really deserved much better than a pointless cameo that gave him nothing to do, he might as well have not been in the film at all.
However, 'Down With Love' looks great and replicates the look of the late 50s and 60s perfectly, the glorious Technicolor, the super stylish photography, the colourful sets, the kitschy décor, sumptuous costuming, the CinemaScope logo. The split screen was clever in one scene. There are artificial painted backdrops and cheap back projection, but this was perfect and appropriate considering what the film is doing. The soundtrack is infectious and affectionate and the direction is controlled and super slick.
Apart from the odd clunker, the script is clever and witty while also being endearingly frothy. The characters lack depth but are not too shallow or annoying thanks to the charm of the cast. The story isn't perfect, but is mainly fun, charming and captures the spirit of the period and films it's satirising and celebrating perfectly and with clear affection.
Renee Zellwegger gives a sprightly and likable lead performance and is well matched by a charming, understated and carefree Ewan McGregor in the other lead role. Their chemistry is nicely done, to me it was there but subtle. It may not have been Day and Hudson but that is incredibly daunting for anybody since to replicate. David Hyde Pierce steals the film, looking like he is having the most fun, he certainly has the most energy. Sarah Poulson is amusingly wise-cracking and charming, if occasionally a little too tongue-in-cheek.
Overall, an unexpected pleasant surprise if not perfect. 7/10 Bethany Cox
Luckily, 'Down With Love' on the most part was not one of those films. It is a satire and celebration of the sex romantic comedies from the late 50s and in particular the 60s, being set in 1962, and mostly does a really good job, capturing the fun, kitsch, charm, froth and affectionate nostalgia of the period and the films with incredibly impressive results. Is it as good as the films it's satirising and celebrating? No. Are the two leads and their chemistry on the same level as Day and Hudson or even Day and James Garner? Not in a million years, but this is a tall order with not many actors and actresses today having the same amount of appeal and that special one of a kind chemistry that those stars had.
'Down With Love' is not perfect. It is easy to dismiss the story as being slight and predictable, and it is. One does have to bear in mind though that the story was not exactly the strong suit in the sex romantic comedies of the late 50s and 60s, it was the production values, the stars, the supporting cast, the writing (on the most part) and the chemistry between the stars that elevated those films to a greater level.
Mostly the script is fine, but it is not without its clunkers. Especially that homosexual accusation, that was cringe-worthy, completely out of place and if it was made in either of the decades that are being satirised and celebrated it would have been anachronistic and would have been anachronistic in its 1962 setting. A few of the more twisty moments were too obvious and didn't serve much point and it occasionally affected the pacing. It was nice to see Tony Randall again, but he really deserved much better than a pointless cameo that gave him nothing to do, he might as well have not been in the film at all.
However, 'Down With Love' looks great and replicates the look of the late 50s and 60s perfectly, the glorious Technicolor, the super stylish photography, the colourful sets, the kitschy décor, sumptuous costuming, the CinemaScope logo. The split screen was clever in one scene. There are artificial painted backdrops and cheap back projection, but this was perfect and appropriate considering what the film is doing. The soundtrack is infectious and affectionate and the direction is controlled and super slick.
Apart from the odd clunker, the script is clever and witty while also being endearingly frothy. The characters lack depth but are not too shallow or annoying thanks to the charm of the cast. The story isn't perfect, but is mainly fun, charming and captures the spirit of the period and films it's satirising and celebrating perfectly and with clear affection.
Renee Zellwegger gives a sprightly and likable lead performance and is well matched by a charming, understated and carefree Ewan McGregor in the other lead role. Their chemistry is nicely done, to me it was there but subtle. It may not have been Day and Hudson but that is incredibly daunting for anybody since to replicate. David Hyde Pierce steals the film, looking like he is having the most fun, he certainly has the most energy. Sarah Poulson is amusingly wise-cracking and charming, if occasionally a little too tongue-in-cheek.
Overall, an unexpected pleasant surprise if not perfect. 7/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Oct 21, 2017
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Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Language
- Also known as
- Hãy ngừng yêu
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $35,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $20,305,251
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $45,029
- May 11, 2003
- Gross worldwide
- $39,468,111
- Runtime1 hour 41 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 2.35 : 1
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