The Love Punch. Film Review.

                            The Love Punch Film Review.

"I think that liking them is much more important than loving them. Love is easy to fall into. Liking is much harder. Think of your wedding as a driving test. You take it, you pass and then you really start to learn how to drive. Or you crash."

Don't expect any other pearls of wisdom otherwise you'll be grossly disappointed. No guesses that Kate and Richard's marriage has broken down. Recent statistics in the UK show that an alarming 1/2 marriages end in divorce. This is not just about a failed marriage. With hindsight both realise they were too young and become closer when they realise their financial security no longer exists. Time to take action.

Written and directed by Joel Hopkins (Last Chance Harvey) "The Love Punch" is uncomplicated but rather contrived as a romantic comedy and as corny as they come. Four very well-known and well-liked actors entertain us with their humour and bawdy jokes. Pierce Brosnan as Richard Jones falls out of "A Long Way Down" destroying the trust of a long-suffering wife with his infidelities. Incensed by his misfortune rather than suicidal. Kate, his ex-wife (Emma Thompson) whose forte is in this kind of comedy seems bored once her brood have flown the nest and she indulges herself in internet dating, becoming besotted with Jean Baptiste who turns out to be the rich toyboy more her son's age. She admits to not having had sex for 2 years so she is willing and desperate to join him in the sack and enjoying it. Good for her.
Insults bounce off the exes at the speed of lightning particularly from the talented Miss Thompson, well known for her barbed tongue and speed of delivery. Brosnan can't get a word in. Say no more.

Celia Imrie as Penelope and Timothy Spall as Jerry are good friends of the exes which adds to the fun and adventure. They are crazy enough to aid the Jones in stealing a diamond worth a staggering £10.8 million as repayment for their financial losses. Richard is on the point of retiring. He has encouraged many employees to invest in Culco when a new owner, an unscrupulous Vincent Kruger buys it and runs it into the ground, wiping off the stocks and shares from the face of the earth and investments. Richard is determined to take immediate action which seems ineffective to Kate so she takes control, devising a plan that her ex refers to as "stupid, crazy but…(with a dramatic pause here note) brilliant." Remember these are amateurs so their attempt to steal a valuable diamond is not going to be an easy feat.

The usual car chase in the south of France ensues followed by gatecrashing Kruger's wedding to the beautiful Manon Fontaine who has been given the diamond. Her attitude is to take it or leave it. Fortunately for the amateur 007s she leaves it otherwise how could they possibly succeed? How could they accomplish the impossible?

What about kidnapping 4 Texans and how can they swap the real diamond for a fake one and getting out alive? Sounds a bit far-fetched, doesn't it and tricky. Richard has given his employees his word telling them he will sort it out and return their hard-earned money. How can he keep his word?

A bit of fun and frivolity but unfortunately, very predictable. A taste of adventure gives Kate  the incentive to crave more excitement. "I know a man with a boat" she tells her ex. It's an in-joke as she dangles keys in front of a bemused and delighted Richard Jones. Not the toyboy. Guess.

Copyright 2014. Permission must be obtained from the author before reproduction of any of this article review.
Carol Naylor REVIEW it.


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