DVD Alex & Emma (Full Screen Edition)

The movie is about a guy named Alex (Wilson) who is a writer struggling to write his second book in thirty days so he can pay off the Cuban mafia for his gambling debt. When they trash his computer, he hires a stenographer named Emma (Hudson) to help him out. The movie has it's moments (I especially enjoyed the one where she drops part of the novel in a puddle and re-writes it herself), but it just doens't have the appeal, wit, or sincerity of other romantic comedies-- like Sleepless in Seattle, or even One Fine Day for that matter.

Hudson is the main draw in this movie, and she certainly delivers. She's cute, funny in a not trying to be funny sort of way, and just a great actress, and I'm sorry that this movie wasn't better suited for her talents. Luke Wilson is particulary adorable, though, and I actually felt like I hadn't seen this side of Wilson before in a movie, which I really enjoyed.

I didn't like the fact that this movie went between two stories that were practically the same. Alex's book is acted out throughout the movie, and of course his book is a mirror image of what is going on in his real life, except that it's set on a fake island many many years ago. It was unnecessary to have two like stories-- Rob Reiner should've picked one and went with it.

I'm a huge fan of romantic comedies, but this one just didn't strike me like others have. However, if you do like romantic movies, by all means see this one.

The story of this romantic comedy is, simply put, "When Alex meets Emma (or vice virsa)" directed by Rob Reiner, who knows a few things about this genre. Alex (Luke Wilson) is a writer stumbled on the writer's block, and in debt. He must make money in 30 days, and to do so, he hires a stenographer Emma (Kate Hudson), and attempts to finish writing a novel.

The novel develops, thanks to the unexpected inspiration from Emma. It is about Adam, a tutor living in the 1920s, who falls in love with a French lady Polina (Sophie Marceau). From then on, we see two stories one after the other, both influencing each other.

NOW, the good thing about "A & E" is that Kate Hudson (who plays five roles in this film) is delightful to see. Luke Wilson is also good and likable, and they make a couple of man and woman who must fall in love with each other. And we know it, and welcome it.

BUT the problem is, as I said before, the setting. In the original "Gambler", Dostoevskey had to submit his rights for publishing his novels to the greedy publisher, not his life as depicted here. No one believes in the central story of "Alex & Emma" when it talks about the 30 days limit and being killed. Think about it. Some mobsters are after you, and they want the money back. However, they burn (yes, literally burn) your lap-top PC, which only prevents your scheme of returning money.

That's a too obvious and tactless device on the filmmaker's side to have Alex hire Emma. And in the original, the stenographer has no other place to go except the writer (it was the 19th century, and women's jobs were quite limited). In "Alex and Emma," though Emma needs money (she comes by bus, see?), and she knows Alex is broke because of gambling, she still decides to work for him as long as 30 days without being even paid in advance! And to make matters worse, what Alex writes is not funny at all, but still we are to believe this "story within story" is to be a hit to pay back all the debt. Sorry, but I can't believe it.

"Alex & Emma" is engaging only when it forgets its plot, which is a poor excuse for bringing the leads together. And Luke Wilson and Kate Hudson do their jobs quite nicely. Pity that the characters are empty, and the story unbelievable. "When Harry met Sally ..." are about real people. The same cannot be said about "Alex & Emma."