The 2010 film “Valentine’s Day” is a seasonal and lighthearted watch. Directed by Garry Marshall, the movie boasts a huge ensemble cast and follows several interconnecting love stories that all unfold on Valentine’s Day in Los Angeles. Throughout the film, the characters’ stories intersect and intertwine, exploring themes of friendship, love and the complexities of relationships, utilizing just about every romantic comedy cliché imaginable along the way.
One aspect that immediately struck me about “Valentine’s Day” was its resemblance to the British romantic comedy “Love Actually,” released in 2003. Like the 2010 film, “Love Actually” also features an ensemble cast with multiple intertwining plotlines, exploring various aspects of love in the lead-up to Christmas. Sound familiar?
Featuring a star-studded cast, “Valentine’s Day” surprises with the talent it could enlist, making you wonder if the actors were under the impression it really was going to be the next “Love Actually.” Notable cast members include Jessica Alba, Ashton Kutcher, Kathy Bates, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Garner, George Lopez, Julia Roberts, Topher Grace, Patrick Dempsey, Queen Latifah, Taylor Lautner and Emma Roberts, and the movie even marks Taylor Swift’s acting debut.
While the star power undoubtedly contributed to the film’s success at the box office, it failed to garner the same positive audience reactions as its predecessor, “Love Actually,” did. “Valentine’s Day” claimed the number one spot at the box office on its opening weekend and still holds the record for the third-highest opening weekend ever in February. Additionally, it ranks as the second-highest grossing film to be released over President’s Day weekend. However, despite its box office success, “Valentine’s Day” received a meager 18% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Time Magazine dubbing it one of the top 10 worst romantic comedies.
In my opinion, keeping track of all the characters proved challenging, and the web of interconnecting plotlines felt too messy to untangle. Watching this movie often resembled playing a game of celebrity Guess Who, and it could easily have been trimmed down by at least half an hour.
While “Valentine’s Day” won’t be making it onto my list of favorite movies, I can’t say I entirely despised it either. I would be lying if I said it wasn’t a fun watch. The film is lighthearted and doesn’t take itself too seriously, managing to provoke laughter from me here and there. Additionally, it’s evident that the cast had a blast hamming it up on screen.
So, if you’re looking for a feel-good, goofy and seasonal movie, then “Valentine’s Day” might just find a place in your heart.
“Valentine’s Day” is rated PG-13 and is available to stream on Hulu.
