Alex and Emma (2003)

I loved this movie. It was so good! I loved how Kate Hudson played so many different characters. She was very good at changing from Anna to Ylva. She was very good. Luke Wilson was also wonderful. Every person in this movie was perfect for their roles. An excellent movie.

Fmovies: No, Alex and Emma is not based on a Dostoyevsky story--it's based on an event in Dostoyevsky's life (1867). When he was 46, he married his 19-year-old stenographer whom he had hired while working on "The Gambler"--hastily written to fulfill a contractual obligation in order to pay off gambling debts. The stenographer was the calming influence in his life after a wild, doomed love affair with a woman who didn't mind spending his money but who refused to marry him.

I saw this story previously in the Russian film, "Sixty Days" (Hollywood just has to speed up the clock). This played at a film festival, is awaiting five votes on IMDb, and will probably never be available again for viewing.

But it was the better of the two movies.

Eventually, this film was one of 2003 biggest misses, box office and general public wise. Why that is so is way beyond me. This heart warming little love story follows Adam Sheldon (Wilson), a young novelist with a very uncomfortable writer's block: he owes a large amount of money to the Cuban mafia and has less than a month to come up with the novel of his life, if he wants to receive the exact amount of cash to give the Cubans, and save his life while at it. In comes Emma (Hudson), a young typist with just the right amount of wit and attitude to confront Adam's daydreaming manners and get him started with what seems as a race against time.

From this point on, the film starts moving in two parallel story lines - one showing Alex's real life while Emma types the story he dictates to her; the other shows the story itself, and how what happens to the characters on screen affects it's ongoing development. I won't tell you much from here on out, but the plot sure has some very unique twists and turns, and is shaped in quite an intriguing and charming manner. The obvious romance that sparks up between our lead characters adds to the mix, as imagination and reality playfully bump into each other over and over again.

All in all, the movie has quite a bit clichés from time to time, but than again, what good love story doesn't? Even I, known to be a cynical person now and then, couldn't help but wipe a tear at the very moving finale, and really feel for those characters, both in the general story and inside the plot-within-the-plot ones.

For anyone who ever had a real person as a muse for anything in life: you're in for a treat. Furthermore, 'Alex and Emma' includes some solid performances by both lead actors Kate Hudson and Luke Wilson, as well as supporting actors Sophie Marceau, Rob Reiner and Chino XL.

I gave it a 9 out of 10.

Alex and Emma fmovies. I'm worried about you movie fans. If you're reading this review, you might be thinking about watching 'Alex & Emma'. If you saw it already, all hope is lost. For those who haven't seen this unromantic and unfunny rom-com yet, here are a dozen helpful hints. Yes, I've just created the exclusive Alex & Emma 12 Step Program. This is critical, so take notes!

You can...

1. set every clock in your house to the plot developments

2. gulp a shot of whiskey every time you laugh (WARNING: you won't even catch a buzz)

3. wonder what the heck happened to that talented Rob Reiner fellow

4. yell at Hudson to "just shut your annoying trap and type, dummy"

5. imagine Luke's brother Owen playing Alex because that's what Luke did

6. set your eyebrows on fire to keep yourself awake

7. make your stuffed animals kiss each other (they'll probably teach you more about passion than Alex or Emma)

8. breathe a sigh of relief because no one will actually publish the lame novel the characters co-write

9. check Hudson's IMDb page to confirm if she has indeed played this same character 287 times already (yup)

10. start writing a snarky review halfway through the movie

11. return the DVD to the video store, rent something else, and never think of spending 96 minutes with 'Alex & Emma' again

12. repeat 12 step process as necessary

I've seen the movie yesterday, on DVD. I had read most comments after buying, but I do not regret. I found the beginning rather slow and not very much to laugh about. But when Emma is going to work for Alex, there is a plot. The way the film has been made, by showing the real story (writing a book) mixed with played scenes from the book (the characters come alive), I liked very much. Well cut, fast, telling, and never a dull moment. Not a magnificent film, but quite entertaining. I think if the parts had been played by famous actors, like Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, the appreciation would have been higher. But Kate and Luke have enough appeal to be attractive to look at and to be convincing.

I thought it was sort of cute, Luke Wilson once again achieves my high respects as does Rob and Kate. I adored the movie so much I watched it three times in two days. If you aren't impatient though, I wouldn't say this is a film for you. The ending was kind of unrealistic, but I don't think it really was supposed to be realistic. The part with the Flamingo Dancers was funny, and it had a great script. It was, oh, how could I say it? Charming. Rob Reiner did a great job directing it, and it just adds on to the long list of great films he's done. I would recommend it if you are a Hudson or Wilson fan.