Gray Matters (2006, U.S.)

I previewed this one to decide whether to add it to the library collection. It's a romantic comedy about Gray and Sam, a brother and sister who are best friends, so in sync that people think they're dating. They decided she'll find a girl for him and he'll find a guy for her. Then they meet Charlie, a girl who's perfect—for both of them. When Sam and Charlie get engaged, Gray eventually realizes that she might be in love with Charlie too.

At one point, Gray is feeling lonely, as she says, "Because I'm never going to be able to walk down the street, holding hands with my partner without the rest of the world giving us a look. And me never have the wedding that I once dreamed of and I may never have children. And one day when I die people will never give as much respect to my grieving lover as if she were my husband." Profound and beautiful words from the lips of Heather Graham in a film billed as a romantic comedy? Incredible.

This was a sweet, touching film; not quite as good as Imagine Me & You, but not bad... What is it about adding the element of homosexuality that makes a romance more realistic? Perhaps it's because it isn't just a case of man and woman doing stupid things before finding each other, but instead women dealing with issues of identity as well. (Side note: why do gay men get the serious movies and gay women get the romantic comedies? Realism versus chick lit?)

I really like this one. It would have been better if they'd gone a bit farther, giving Gray and Charlie the opportunity to have the big conversation so Gray could move on with her life and accept her identity a bit more. But I guess it wouldn't be a romantic comedy then.

Rating: 4.0

Baby on Board (2009, U.S.)

I have only ever seen one Heather Graham movie that I liked (Killing Me Softly—and that was largely thanks to Joseph Fiennes). This one might have been the absolute worst.

The concept was good. A perfume designer creates a perfume for pregnant women to smell sexy to their husbands. Meanwhile, she and her husband find themselves pregnant unexpectedly. Because of a miscommunication, he thinks she's cheated on him and it isn't his, and they don't talk for the duration of her pregnancy. A large part of this is due to his friend, who is a complete scumbag who cheats on his wife regularly and is exactly the kind of guy you instinctively hate.

Clearly, it's supposed to be funny. But men being stereotypical pigs, sex jokes, fat jokes, and other jokes in bad taste made it a horrible, horrible movie. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.

Rating: 1.5