Alex & Emma (2003)

Director:

Rob Reiner

Writer (WGA):

Jeremy Leven (written by)

Release Date:

20 June 2003 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Is it love... or are they just imagining things?

Plot:

A writer must turn out a novel in thirty days or face the wrath of loan sharks.

Plot Keywords:

Novel | Writer | Stenographer | Novelist | Paris When It Sizzles

Cast

Luke Wilson	...	Alex Sheldon / Adam Shipley
Chino XL	...	Tony / Flamenco Dancer #2
Lobo Sebastian	...	Bobby / Flamenco Dancer #1
Rob Reiner	...	Wirschafter
Kate Hudson	...	Emma Dinsmore / Ylva / Elsa / Eldora / Anna
Paul Willson	...	Whistling John Shaw
David Paymer	...	John Shaw
Sophie Marceau	...	Polina Delacroix
Alexander Wauthier	...	Andre Delacroix
Leili Kramer	...	Michele Delacroix
Rip Taylor	...	Polina's Father
Gigi Bermingham	...	Madame Blanche
Jordan Lund	...	Claude
François Giroday	...	Croupier
Robert Costanzo	...	Bus Driver

Also Known As:

Loosely Based on a True Love Story (USA) (working title)
The Gambler (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and some language.

Runtime:

USA:96 min | Argentina:96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Ireland:15 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Brazil:12 | Chile:TE | Germany:o.Al. | Hong Kong:IIA | Iceland:L | Norway:11 | Peru:PT | Philippines:PG-13 | Singapore:NC-16 | Singapore:PG (cut) | Spain:7 | UK:12 | USA:PG-13 (certificate #39965) | Canada:PG (Ontario)

Filming Locations:

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Epsilon Motion Pictures

Trivia:

Despite what Emma believes, Ylva *is* a Swedish name.

Goofs:

Continuity: Alex's face is unshaven before he kisses Emma, and in the next shot (as they actually kiss) is completely smooth.

Quotes:

Bobby: You're dancing the flamenco to get money. This is not a strong bargaining position.

Movie Connections:

References Charade (1963)

Soundtrack:

Charleston

Barely worth the time required to watch this silly but cute rom-com.

The critic Ebert has a complete and accurate review, for anyone who wants to know more details. I saw it on VHS from my public library, when we see that Luke Wilson and Kate Hudson are in it, we can pretty well figure out what the ultimate outcome will be. So, the story requires that we witness how. He is an apparently good author who also is a bad gambler, and needs to complete a novel quickly to get out of debt and save his skin. She becomes his stenographer, even though he can't pay her yet, because she has a kind heart. The novelty of this movie is that we see the novel as it is being written, brought to life with Luke Wilson and Kate Hudson, plus a few others, as a movie within this movie. For me that kept my interest moderately high. How good may be the book, or its movie we see, is not the point. The point is the relationship that develops between Wilson and Hudson. Unfortunately for us, there is absolutely nothing particularly new or interesting about their relationship. Not a BAD romantic comedy, just not a particularly good one either.

August 2006 edit - I saw it again, I enjoyed it a bit better, knowing ahead of time how it was constructed.