Mr. Otter and I had a four-movie day. The other three movies were serious, and I had wanted to see this since it looked pretty amusing, and I thought it would be nice to see something lighthearted and romantic after three serious movies. And it had a good cast...I mean, Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson, how bad could it be? (Answer: pretty bad.)

So Dustin Hoffman is a workaholic whose wife has divorced him, he's alienated his family and is about to be superseded at work (he writes advertising jingles). He's in London for his daughter's wedding, and on the same day (wedding day) finds out that he's lost his job and that his daughter (who is buddy-buddy with her mom and The Stepfather) wants her stepfather to give her away, not Dustin, her real father.

This is all in the trailers, so I'm not spoiling it. Now I'm going to save you ten bucks:

It's really stupid. Hoffman leaves the wedding in a huff, runs into Thompson, they end up spending the day together, having a wonderful time, going back to the reception where Hoffman manages to build a bridge with his estranged family and reconnect with his daughter, there is a minor bobble in the incipient Hoffman/Thompson romance, and all ends well.

Except.

Firstly, it's not believeable. It just doesn't work. Some of his personality changes are unbelieveable, and others come too fast (most of the movie takes place within 48 hours). I didn't get the feeling that he had really learned anything. I also didn't believe it when they offered him his job back (because the 'kids' who were supposed to take the campaign just couldn't do it, they needed someone experienced) and he turned them down. Yeah, right.

Also (as I yelled from the bathtub to Mr. Otter, later that night as I sat there, wallowing in lovely hot water and fuming over how stupid this movie was) they're at the wedding, which is an afternoonish wedding because after it was over and Hoffman ended up in the bar with Thompson, he bought her lunch. So maybe 2 pm at the latest? then they walk all over London. At one point, one of them looks at a watch and it's 7 pm. THEN they go buy Thompson a dress, and she's shown trying on several a la Andie MacDowell in Four Weddings and a Funeral, which takes some time, even when you edit it a lot. THEN they go back to the reception...at least 8 pm, probably later...and nobody's eating yet? what kind of wedding is going to make the guests wait 6 to 8 hours for the reception pig-out? (okay, Mr. Otter and I were at one where the bride and groom had pictures taken after the ceremony for TWO HOURS and the guests weren't allowed into the reception until this was over because they also wanted pics of them in the reception line greeting their starving guests. The marriage eventually ended in divorce. We are no longer friends with these people. Nuf sed.)

So anyway. The time thing doesn't work. Thompson and Hoffman are cute, but that doesn't seem believeable. The jokes aren't very funny, the plot isn't very good, this one is just forgettable.

And (this burns me up) you know why they made it? so that aging baby boomers could get the message that THEY, TOO, ARE NOT TOO OLD FOR LOVE. What crap. NOBODY'S too old to fall in love, and I don't need this stupid movie to tell me so.

Interesting note: Dustin Hoffman (who is a real cutie, with an adorable smile, even in a dog like this) is looking good. Hm, thinks I to myself, he's probably about Mr. Otter's age (61 at last birthday). I checked IMDB. DUSTIN HOFFMAN IS SEVENTY-ONE. OMG, he looks good.

I was also pleased to see that even with the magic of makeup and airbrushing, Emma Thompson (who is three days older than This Old Otter) doesn't look any younger than I do. Whew. Makes me feel better.

But see them in other good movies, not this one.