No Reservations… Having seen the trailer for this feature numerous times, & thinking on each occasion that the lead was Jill Hennessey, not Catherine Zeta-Jones — & how one could make that mistake, I’m sure you’re wondering — I wanted to see this. As a “Law & Order” watcher — not dedicated, but certainly frequent, & definitely aware of the castings — from the early nineties, forward, Ms Hennessey had been an early crush-object for me. (Not that that gets me to watch “Crossing Jordan”! I have my limits.) Consequently, the trailer enticed me, & even finding the identity of the lead to not be my second-favourite asst d.a. but instead Michael Douglas’s (trophy) wife, I still wanted to. Indeed, Aaron Eckhart is another favourite, dating to “The Core” (I hope I have that title correct; also, with Hillary Swank?).
So, this afternoon, I viewed the film in question. Even knowing the ONION’s poor reception of it, I got less than I expected. The pacing was off, not unlike (considerably) more dreadful fare “The Last Kiss” or “I Think I Love My Wife”, but unlike those, the characters were (at least) likable — though it appears Abigail Breslin may be entering an uneven adolescence — & the composition of any particular scene was artful. (A score from Phillip Glass is also always a nice touch, even if a bit unexpected. This is, after all, a rom-com.) The story does not dwell on the event(s) leading to the death of Breslin’s mother, who is also Zeta-Jones’s sister, either, & for the better: any chance of melodrama & TOO MANY tears is reduced. All the same, the reticence of Breslin to accede to her aunt’s guardianship, likewise the guardian’s reluctance to take on the responsibility of parenting (something at which it is hinted she can, in fact, take on, but from which she might be burnt out, from having had to raise her sister after their mother’s death & father’s abandonment (to drink?)), is rendered believably, & the pains of bonding are not dodged.
Then, as these are passed, we move to phase two of the operation. (First, girl loses mother, but finds a surrogate.) Breslin connives to set-up her aunt with Eckhart, who has been hired-on at 22 Bleecker by the owner (Patricia Clarkson, in a welcome rebound from the overly droll confine of “Goodnite & Good Luck”) to replace the out-going sous-chef, who is leaving following delivery of her first child. Breslin takes to Eckhart’s free-spirit — he wearts crocs and zubaz (the latter which I cannot condone; the crocs, I understand, as in a fast-paced, high-stressed kitchen, they wear easily, but zubaz? really?? — quickly, much more quickly than she does to Zeta-Jones, after sharing a bowl of pasta & basil. From this, she espies the missing piece in the life of her aunt, & calls in a debt by Zeta-Jones at which time Breslin has Eckhart for dinner (he as exec-chef, Breslin as sous). Over tiramisu, then, and after, fortunately, Zeta-Jones & Eckhart really meet. Cute.
[At this point, I should note, "You're not a dessert person? Well, you just havn't tried my tiramisu" should become the go-to pick-up for any man of a certain sophistication. - ed.]
Phase two completed then, we find ourselves facing the ups — pancake breakfasts, just the three of the very blended family – & downs — Clarkson offers to pry the exec-chef position from Zeta-Jones, instead giving it to Eckhart; he declines, as one should expect — of a couple bound forevermore, & though the tacked-on “disappearance” of Breslin, for which Zeta-Jones calls on Eckhart to join in the search, takes away from the pleasant taste that a rom-com should leave, all told, it is not a pitfall from which the film cannot recover.
In the final analysis, then, this film is not “I Think I Love My Wife” or “The Last Kiss”, thank God, but it’s rather far off the mark of “Music & Lyrics”, my top rom-com for the year. I should think to give “No Reservations” a two-star rank (out of five), & suggest it better as an in-home experience rather than cinema fare.
