Kate and Leopold

Directed by: James Mangold

Starring: Meg Ryan, Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber

Rating:

What a disappointment. There is nothing cute about this movie. The chemistry isn't there. The movie drags along. The writing is pitiful and full of holes. There is nothing redeeming about this movie.

I must admit that I really do enjoy Hugh Jackman, but he was wasted here. I wish he could get a decent leading role. Someone Like You was also a disappointment, but it's a sight better than this movie. How it got nominated for any awards truly baffles me. It's terrible, and this is coming from the girl who loves romantic comedies. I mean, I can sit thru Mrs. Winterbourne, with Ricki Lake doing her best to ruin it, over and over again. But I will not sit thru this ever again.

Let's begin with the largest and most obvious hole in the story. Meg Ryan's ex-boyfriend, Liev, finds a portal that transports him back in time. It's located in mid air. The way you get to it is by climbing some high scaffolding to the very edge and jumping off at a certain time. Somehow no one seems to have any questions that most logical people would ask, like, "How the hell did you come across this? Were you trying to commit suicide by jumping and then found yourself in the 19th century?" Dumb, dumb, and more dumb.

Then there's this ridiculous set of events that causes Liev to be stuck in a hospital for the majority of the movie, leaving Hugh Jackman, a man from the 19th century who followed Liev back to the future, and Meg to hook up. If Liev had stopped blabbering like an idiot he could've gotten his hands on a phone, which he tries to get the whole movie.

What else bothers me? The ridiculous premise that someone came up with to get Meg and Hugh to spend time together...she's in advertising, so she transforms him into a spokesmodel. Dumb, dumb, dumb. What else? Random characters that are introduced and then just left hanging, like the small boy that visits the apartment.

What else? Alright, without getting into too much detail just know that Hugh Jackman being in the 21st century causes some changes in time. One happens to be the invention of elevators. His character supposedly invents them, so when he travels in time problems are sure to arise. Now, you would think this would cause elevators to disappear from present time because they were never invented. But no, they're still here, they just don't work anymore. So we get to hear stupid commentary on the television news about how no one's elevators are working. Dumb, dumb, dumb. I could go on forever, but I won't. Besides the value of gawking at the leads, this movie has nothing that's redeeming. Avoid!