Bill Borgens (Greg Kinnear) is an acclaimed author who still pines for his ex-wife Erica (Jennifer Connelly) who left him for another man. He has casual sex with Tricia (Kristen Bell). He pushes his kids to write. His daughter Samantha (Lily Collins) is publishing a book. She insists on avoiding true love until Louis (Logan Lerman) won't let her be. His son Rusty (Nat Wolff) falls for Kate (Liana Liberato) who has a drug problem and a boyfriend problem.
Everybody has their own storyline. Writer/director Josh Boone needs to decide what the movie should concentrate on. It's obvious that the mother is the key to the whole movie. Everybody should concentrate on that like a laser. With the mother being a central point, Connelly doesn't have enough screen time.
Lily Collins' story feels manufactured. The dialogue feels fake. I know it's fiction but it feels very writery. Her relationship with her mother lacks authenticity and Logan Lerman's mother is too symmetrical.
The father's story lacks heat. It does get to a good place but the Kristen Bell part doesn't have any tension. Their relationship has no danger and has no stakes. He is better alone waiting for his ex-wife. At least that has poetry. Instead of Bell's character, the story should develop more with his ex-wife's new husband.
The son's story has a couple of good scenes. It's essentially a coming-of-age story that could exist in any number of movies. While I love some of his turns, it has no direct connections to the mother. If this movie is about him, it would make some sense but this feels like a distraction.
Overall the movie feels too made-up. There are some good parts and some good scenes. I'm glad Josh Boone made a friend with Stephen King. He's obvious a fan and he's got a couple of movies from King material coming up.
Stuck in Love.
2012
Action / Comedy / Drama / Romance
Stuck in Love.
2012
Action / Comedy / Drama / Romance
Plot summary
Meet the Borgens. William Borgens is an acclaimed author who hasn't written a word since his ex-wife Erica left him 3 years ago for another man. In between spying on Erica and casual romps with his married neighbour Tricia, Bill is dealing with the complexities of raising his teenage children Samantha and Rusty. Samantha is publishing her first novel and is determined to avoid love at all costs - after all she's seen what it has done to her parents. In between hook ups, she meets "nice guy" Lou who will stop at nothing to win her over. Rusty, is an aspiring fantasy writer and Stephen King aficionado, who is on a quest to gain 'life experiences'. He falls for the beautiful, but troubled Kate and gets his first taste of love and a broken heart. A tale of family, love (lost and found),and how endings can make new beginnings. There are no rewrites in life, only second chances.
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narrow the focus
Watchable, not a keeper.
Stuck in Love has the cast and solid dialogue, but little to say.
It's pretty hard for me to like dislike a film with Greg Kinnear and Jennifer Connelly in it and I don't, but the screen-time's heavily divided and Collin's character's all over the shop. Also it's riddled with unrealistic scenarios and dream like conclusions. May have well ridden off on that unicorn, as these characters couldn't want for anything more.
Likable cast and feel good story
The fact that such a likable collection of actors and actresses is assembled should indicate this movie is worth a watch.
Although the story isn't ground breaking it's not irritating and doesn't lose steam. It's a story about a writer (Kinnear) and his family and their romantic and family relationships.
The daughter is played by Lily Collins who is very pretty and acts well. The still very beautiful Jennifer Connelly looks like she could be her mother in real life with their dark hair and thick eyebrows - good casting. Wish she would act more these days. Greg Kinnear is quite writer like with his beard but he looks a little too scruffy. Nat Wolff as the son is a bit dorky looking for such an attractive family. Liana Liberato is a bit irritating as the druggie girlfriend though. Patrick Schwarzenegger has a small role as a jerk boyfriend of Liana. Logan Lerman play's Lily's sweet boyfriend.
Everyone is kind of nice and sweet even when they aren't being nice and it's refreshing to see a movie with nice people and a watchable cast.