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| Leap Year (PG)
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Dir. Anand Tucker, US, 2010, Dur 100 mins
Cast: Amy Adams, Matthew Goode, Adam Scott
Review by Carlie Newman
At first glance this might appear to be just another rom-com but actually Leap Year is an enjoyable romp that is both romantic and amusing. Anna Brady (Adams) has lived in Boston with her boyfriend, Jeremy, a cardiologist (Scott) for four years. When she is given a pair of diamond earrings rather than the engagement ring she was expecting, Anna decides to take advantage of the old Irish legend which states that a woman can propose to a man on February 29th - which, of course, is Leap Year and only occurs every four years. The difficulty is that Jeremy has already gone to Ireland on business and Anna has to follow him to Dublin. She suffers a series of disasters on her way to Ireland and when she ends up at a remote Irish village she is then subject to the carefree attitude and assistance of Declan (Goode) who runs the only bar/taxi service/hotel in the area.
Completely laid back in style, Declan is almost the complete opposite from “Anna from Boston” who he enjoys making fun of and bringing down a peg or two, such as when he mocks her for being so devoted to her Louis Vuitton luggage. Anna, for her part, wants a well-ordered life after being subjected to the whims of her father who failed in all the business enterprises he attempted. Determined to make sure that her life is well-financed and that she proceeds without deviation down a planned path leading to marriage, a reliable husband and then children, she has a job as an ‘apartment stager' (making apartments and houses look attractive in order to achieve quick sales), and has chosen Jeremy as her partner to achieve the rest. Yet…she is fascinated by the Irish charm of the man who has suddenly entered her life.
Director Tucker has managed to inject a nice touch of humour into the story with some amusing set pieces, many of which involve the heroine getting wet or muddy or both. Anna's lack of understanding of the real world is illustrated by Declan's question – when she looks on askance as he wrings a chicken's neck – “Where do you think chickens come from?” and her response is, “The freezer section”. There are some great views of Ireland's countryside. While Scott's role of Jeremy is somewhat under-written and under-played, Adams and the charismatic Goode are both believable according to the demands made by the film and there is really good chemistry between them. This is, above all, an enjoyable film that, although it doesn't tax the brain too much, neither does it leaves a nasty taste in the mouth unlike so many of the very violent films on offer at the moment.
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