A Scientist at the Movies Reviews by Greg Paris

The Evaluation System Reviews by Title Reviews by Date

Reviews from Video Reviews of the Classics Personal Background

Title: Letters to Juliet

Date Viewed: 5/26/10

Details:

Amanda Seyfried

Gael García Bernal

Christopher Egan

Vanessa Redgrave

Franco Nero

Director: Gary Winick

Score: 1/2

The Review: A surprisingly engaging romantic comedy based on the business of answering letters or pleas addressed to (Shakespeare's fictional)Juliet,written by lovelorn women who then posted or jammed into the cracks of the"Juliet wall"(underneath the balcony) in Verona, Italy (her fictional home). Sophie (Seyfried) is on a working vacation with her fiancée (Bernal) -- she's attempting the transition between journalist and author; he's engaging suppliers for his soon-to-open Manhattan restaurant and wallowing in the foodiness of the Italian countryside. After Sophie finds a very old letter buried under a loose brick, she discovers and joins a small group of volunteer entrepreneurs, calling themselves the "secretaries of Juliet", to respond to this 50-year old note.

It is amazing to watch Vanessa Redgrave -- effortless acting, fascinating character, experience & confidence at work. She is marvelous as Claire, the original author of the note Sophie found and adopted, and (coincidence alarm!) who happens to be in Verona when she receives Sophie's response. They meet, against the meddling intentions of Claire's interefering grandson Charlie (Egan), and soon the three of them are off touring Tuscany looking for Lorenzo. And a grand search it is.

The trailing credits are amusing, announcing one Lorenzo after another, each named by the joke or situation that introduced them in the movie.

Based on the recentbook by Lise and Ceil Friedman.

(1-Aug-10)

Back to the chronological list of reviews