Leap Year

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When initially hearing of a romantic comedy being filmed in Ireland about a woman who wants to propose to her boyfriend on a leap year - because of an Irish tradition - I thought it sounded like a terrible idea and feared the worst. But then Amy Adams signed on to star, Anand Tucker (the man behind the lovely Shopgirl) provided his services to helm, and Slumdog Millionaire scripter Simon Beaufoy was announced to be polishing the screenplay. They say you can't polish a turd, and whoever the hell "they" are, they're right. This is a tedious, stereotyping piece of crap that is an insult to the intelligence of even the most undemanding romantic comedy lover.

Adams is a successful woman from Boston, with a successful boyfriend. She has a quirky, but obtainable job dressing apartments like they're nicer than they are when a real estate agent can't shift them. She's very good at it and has nice clobber and the like; but what she really wants is a marriage proposal from her surgeon boyfriend. Thinking he'll ask her over dinner one night, he doesn't, and must rush off to Dublin for a conference before she can react. After a few drinks with her auld lad (John Lithgow in one scene), she decides to come to Ireland to propose herself. But when her flight diverts to Wales, she must find her own way to Dublin by way of Dingle; via lots of pissed old men making inane observations, and Matthew Goode being all sexy and brooding in an Aran sweater.

Maybe I was stupid for having any expectations in the first place, but Amy Adams is due. Last time we had an Oscar calibre actress in such a role, P.S. I Love You was churned out; but that came from the pen of an Irishwoman, so the clichés were at a relative minimum. Maid of Honour scripters Deborah Kaplan and Harry Elfont write like they're core audience is a lonely, naive soccer mom in Idaho, whose seventh generation Irish heritage will guarantee a ticket purchase. It plods along, hopelessly devoid of charm and wit, giving its cast absolutely nothing to work with. Goode is a fine actor who deserves a break, and Adams one of the best actresses of her generation - they should never have signed up for this garbage.

Tucker does manage some lovely visuals, with one scene in particular shot in silhouette against a picturesque lake genuinely striking. But he had precious little to work with on every other front, and has ended up making a film that plays like National Lampoons Irish Vacation. The tourism board will be delighted after seeing this, but they'll probably be the only ones.