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Common Sense Note

Parents need to know that, contrary to what the ad campaign might have you believe, this is a somewhat sad movie that deals with loss and grief -- not a straightforward romantic comedy. Its messages -- tell the people you care about that you love them before it's too late, and live life to the fullest -- are admirable, and its characters are goodhearted. But there's a fair amount of strong language (no "f--k," though there's plenty of "s--t" and "goddamn"), some frank talk about sex, and partial nudity. The movie also seems obsessed with getting the main character, Holly, hooked up with another man, as if that's the only fix for the widowed heart.

Families can talk about how this movie compares to other romantic comedies. How does the sad premise affect the overall tone? Can approaching grief with humor help make it easier to bear? Why or why not? Also, why do you think so many people expect Holly to fall in love with someone else? Do Hollywood movies perpetuate the idea that, to move on after a loss, you have to fall in love again? Is that realistic? Does the film's ending, especially the part about romance, surprise you? Why?

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Common Sense Review

Reviewed By: S. Jhoanna Robledo

P.S. I LOVE YOU is a sweet and fairly moving film that somewhat convincingly traces the trajectory of grief. Which would be fine if it were a drama. But it's supposed to be a romantic comedy, a chick flick -- or at least it's been pitched that way in ads and trailers, and therein lies the problem.

After her husband, Gerry (Gerard Butler), a charismatic Irishman, dies much too young of a brain tumor, Manhattan real estate broker Holly Kennedy (Hilary Swank) is overcome with grief. She holes up in their apartment, watching Bette Davis movies, mooning over Gerry's pictures, wearing his clothes, and skipping her daily shower. Her sorrow virtually paralyzes her. (Crying yet?)

But one day, she receives a letter that Gerry wrote to her before he passed away -- the first of many urging her to break out of her mournful shell. He insists that Holly celebrate her birthday with her friends, try karaoke, fly to Ireland (where she hooks up with the very attractive Jeffrey Dean Morgan).

There's no denying Swank's talent, but let's face it: She's better off in the dramas that made her famous than in a frothy movie like this. Try as she might, she's just too serious, too -- dare we say it? -- good at emoting her sadness that she's unable to make P.S. I Love You much fun. (And isn't that the point of a rom-com?) It might have been better to go with an old reliable like Reese Witherspoon or Sandra Bullock. Not even the presence of a comic genius like Lisa Kudrow can pull the movie out of its misery. Even the usually appealing Harry Connick Jr. is a dud here as an oddball love interest who can't hold back his often-rude observations (he has Tourette Syndrome)

It's not that P.S. I Love You doesn't have any redeeming value. On the contrary; it's entertaining enough. Director Richard LaGravenese has some fine moments; the Emerald Isle looks beautiful, indeed, and the story unfolds at a jaunty enough pace. (There's also a small, refreshing twist near the end.) But what's the deal with the stereotypes? Do all Irishmen smile, sing, and play the guitar? And enough already with Swank's abs, of which there are way too many close-ups.

Ultimately, though, it's a lightweight attempt to imbue lightness onto a dark subject. The moral of the story? Widowhood isn't funny. At least not in this film.

More upbeat, teen-friendly romantic comedies include While You Were Sleeping, Return to Me, and Sleepless in Seattle (which also touches on grief, but less directly). Swank's fans may better appreciate the movies that won the actress her two Oscars: Boys Don't Cry (for mature viewers only) and Million Dollar Baby. Or try the classic Heaven Can Wait, which successfully got laughs out of the subject of death.

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Content
		CS	adults	kids
Sexual Content Couples kiss, sometimes while barely clothed in bed (though nothing but shoulders is glimpsed under the covers); men and women prance around in their underwear; one shot of a naked man's behind; close ups on abs; a woman discusses men's body parts candidly (and a man takes her to task for it); a woman propositions men in social situations.
Violence A couple fights loudly, slamming doors. Grief scenes are emotionally painful.
Language Language includes "s--t," "a--hole," "son of a bitch," "goddamn," and the like.
Message
	Social Behavior A woman sizes up men by their physical attributes (and talks loudly about it); friends fight and ignore each other or yell at each other on voicemail; a couple threatens to walk out on each other; a man's Tourette Syndrome is sometimes played for laughs. That said, in the end, the movie is about how friends and family members (dead or alive) support and love each other.
	Commercialism Some mention of specific products/brands, including eBay and Marc Jacobs (specifically, his shoes). Holly has a killer designer wardrobe that, in real life, she probably wouldn't be able to afford.
	Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco Some drinking in bars and at musical events, as well as at a funeral. A few times, Holly and her friends end up plastered.

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