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Parents' Guide to

Laws of Attraction

By Nell Minow, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

There's no reason to see this movie.

Movie PG-13 2004 90 minutes
Laws of Attraction Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 18+

Based on 1 parent review

KristinC 2
KristinC 2 Adult
August 22, 2015
age 18+

A charming story, but a little uncomfortable to watch with kids

The scenery is gorgeous, as are the actors, which makes the film pleasant to watch. The quirky cast brings the characters to life - they aren't necessarily people you'd want to know in real life, but they're interesting to observe. There's plenty of humor, drunken flirtation, and a dose of Irish folklore thrown in for good measure. The only drawback is that it's not a family sort of movie - the cynicism and insecurity of the main characters and the seamy details of their profession present a picture you probably don't want your kids to internalize. Still, a great film for mom and dad to watch on a kid-free weekend.
See all 1 parent review

What's the Story?

In LAWS OF ATTRACTION, successful divorce lawyer Audrey (Julianne Moore) has no interest in any romantic entanglements of her own. She is very tough but she plays by the rules. Her opposing counsel in a high profile case is Daniel (Pierce Brosnan), who infuriates her by being disheveled and disrespectful and -- even worse -- by being extremely capable and very handsome. He is very tough and he makes his own rules. They're hired on opposing sides of a high profile divorce case in which they must fly to Ireland. After attending a festival, Audrey and Daniel wake up to discover they're married. Now, they must figure out how to be man and wife and handle the important divorce hearing.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say: (1 ):
Kids say: Not yet rated

Disastrous casting, a clunker-laden script, and snooze-inducing direction repel rather than attract. Having the set-up and the look of a romantic comedy is not enough to make it one. Director Peter Howitt made a promising debut with Sliding Doors, but after AntiTrust and this mess, it is clear that he is better off when he's far away from Hollywood studios, and so are we. Situations are not the same thing as plot, especially when the situations are just plain dull. The glossy production design is often more fun to watch than the actors.

Frances Fisher as Audrey's eternally-young mother is the best thing in the movie. But the very talented Julianne Moore is badly miscast and never makes Audrey a character instead of a collection of reactions. Brosnan seems to enjoy the vacation from his usual elegant roles, but no one could reconcile Daniel's shambling Columbo act with his underhanded tricks and unabashed affection for Audrey. Parker Posey as a designer married to a rock star gives her first bad performance and Michael Sheen gives the most annoying performance of the year as her estranged husband.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why Audrey was so resistant to romantic involvement. How did her mother influence her?

Movie Details

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