Larry Crowne

[kkhand]

Thought it was nice to see Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks back after such a long time on the big screen ( Maybe they have been on the movies but i havent noticed!) The movie itself was good enough in terms of entertainment but was a little predictable - nothing radical. 7/10

[Spring]

Saw in Whitelys, was about 90% full. the right half of the cinema seemed to have enjoyed it...alas i was sitting on the left!!!

[claire]

by the sounds of it. i think im happy i gave my tickets up earlier

[michelleans]

very predictable film but i quite enjoyed it

[TheDude]

A "rom-com" that's very low on both believable romance and actual comedy, I may have chuckled once. Julia gets an easy A, Star Trek references and a couple of nice Tom Petty and ELO tunes on the soundtrack eased my pain, but mostly found it all a bit average.. 5/10 at best.

[kevinknapman]

A fairly bland and inoffensive comedy that is unlikely to linger too long in the memory.
It was occasionally amusing and I laughed a few times but it never really amounted to much.

The characters were almost entirely one-dimensional and under-developed. Both Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts do their best but they're not exactly working with material that has any depth at all. Larry Crowne was a nice guy and that was it really. Apparently he'd had a tough few years after his divorce but Hanks just couldn't convey any sense of loss or depression. And Roberts' alcoholism was a subject that was skated over, never really having any effect on the plot.
If the leads were lacking depth, the remaining cast were so thinly written to be almost non-existent. Bryan Cranston and Pam Grier were shamefully wasted and the pupils in the Speech 217 class were so poorly written that I could only identify them by the people playing them. So we had one of the geeky scientists from Better Off Ted, the guy from The Pacific and 24 and one of Meryl Streep's daughters, plus a few other completely anonymous characters. Most annoying was the tediously kooky and pushy Talia, who pissed me off no end, summed up by Roberts' line (as much as I can remember it) "Why are men attracted to this irritating free spirit?" (or something close to that). Why indeed? They should have ditched her character entirely and given more time to the pupils in Larry's class. George Takei's small role was quite amusing and we can only be thankful that co-writer's Nia Vardalos' contribution as an actress was limited to the Map Genie voice. Rather predictable to see Hanks' wife Rita Wilson too. She seems to only get roles in films her husband is in.

Poorly plotted with a fairly rambling narrative that just lurched from one moment to the next with absolutely no conflict or drama to make it more interesting. The Hanks/Roberts relationship was completely unconvincing as if the romance aspect was an afterthought and the kissing moments were uncomfortably forced.
I didn't dislike it (aside from Talia and her 'gang'. Bleurgh!) and it just about gets by on the charm of the leads (The Roberts smile, when it's used, is still very effective). But it's completely forgettable. Oh and if you do go and see it, run out of the cinema the second it ends as the end credits are embarrassingly cheesy (Hanks and Roberts goofing about on the scooter with a fake background).

[stuartboy]

Was all set to say my piece here, but looks like it's all been said. What a turkey! By far the worst, most boring lamest movie so far this year. Expected so much more. Nothing actually happened. I'd actually have believed if it had said it was based on a true story. It was as dull as real life!

Bomb!

1/10 (and that is just for Julia Roberts amazingly huge mouth!)

[prettyxcool]

Saw in Whitelys, was about 90% full. the right half of the cinema seemed to have enjoyed it...alas i was sitting on the left!!!

We were laughing with Dr M, the only best thing in this film! It was weak, mindless and unbelievable, but easy viewing. 5/10

It was nice to see Valda, ejwrank and kaybeelon though, it seemed a while since I saw them last!

[Kaybeelon]

Was all set to say my piece here, but looks like it's all been said. What a turkey! By far the worst, most boring lamest movie so far this year. Expected so much more. Nothing actually happened. I'd actually have believed if it had said it was based on a true story. It was as dull as real life!

Bomb!

1/10 (and that is just for Julia Roberts amazingly huge mouth!)

Yes, I am afraid I agree, and I had been looking forward to it.
Some famous film person (Hitchcock perhaps?) once said "film is like life with the dull bits cut out". Only that here they forgot to cut out the dull bits. The whole film is too slow (and I don't mind slow films on principle if it works - but here it didn't), there is no real change of pace, the characters are not believable, nor are the relationships between them, their motivations, the changes ... shame.

The fact that Tom Hanks wrote the script, directed, produced AND acted in the film should have made me suspicious. I think even Orson Welles only attempted 3 out of these 4. The whole film felt a bit like the fantasy of a teenage boy (sorry teenage boys!) ... fancying Julia Roberts and dreaming of being with her ... Perhaps Tom Hanks was that (middle aged) teenage boy once and the only way to get to kiss Julia Roberts was to write a script, make the film and act in it ...?

[Kaybeelon]

I was glad to see Valda, prettyxcool and kaybeelon so seeing FMUKers was the highlight of a very weak, silly film.

It was nice to see you all and chat a bit. That was inded the highlight!