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When in Rome
By Sandie Angulo Chen,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Teen-appeal actors disappoint in stereotypical romcom.
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When in Rome
Community Reviews
Based on 11 parent reviews
A great romantic comedy
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When in Rome and there is nothing italian about it
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What's the Story?
Beth (Kristen Bell) is an ambitious modern-art curator at New York's Guggenheim Museum who puts work above all else. On a trip to Rome for her sister's wedding, she hits it off with dashing best man Nick (Josh Duhamel) ... until she sees him kissing another woman. Drunk and angry, Beth steps into a "fountain of love" and starts grabbing coins, which sparks a spell causing all of the men who threw the coins to instantly fall in love with her. Somehow, the men -- a street magician (Jon Heder), a sausage tycoon (Danny DeVito), a self-absorbed model (Dax Shepard), and an aspiring artist (Will Arnett) -- follow Beth around back in New York, while an equally smitten Nick tries to convince her to go out with him. Beth reluctantly starts believing in the spell and fears that Nick, the only suitor whose feelings she returns, isn't truly in love with her. Is his affection based on the fountain's powers, or just the magic of true love?
Is It Any Good?
Director Mark Steven Johnson deserves an award for wasting the talents of so many comic actors. The supporting actors are all much, much funnier in their other films, and the screenplay is so formulaic that even a fifth grader could guess what's bound to happen. Yes, Bell is adorable and Duhamel is hunky, but their looks alone can't save this utterly predictable and gag-inducing sappy story.
WHEN IN ROME is further proof that it's nearly impossible to find an original, memorable romantic comedy. The entire genre has been diluted into a series of stereotypes (including the over-dependence on cities like Rome and New York) and plot bunnies unworthy of undergraduate screenwriting courses. It's not that romantic comedies aren't worth watching as a whole (although the truly remarkable ones are getting rarer and rarer), but this one sure isn't.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the theme of real love versus unrequited infatuation. Does following someone you like around, sending them presents, and trying to force them to return your feelings work? Are the spellbound suitors funny, or do they seem creepy? What would teens do if this happened in real life?
What romantic-comedy stereotypes appear in this movie?
Movie Details
- In theaters: January 29, 2010
- On DVD or streaming: June 15, 2010
- Cast: Anjelica Huston , Josh Duhamel , Kristen Bell
- Director: Mark Steven Johnson
- Inclusion Information: Female actors
- Studio: Touchstone Pictures
- Genre: Comedy
- Run time: 91 minutes
- MPAA rating: PG-13
- MPAA explanation: some suggestive content
- Last updated: December 2, 2022
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