To be honest with you, I saw Stuck In Love because I needed something light. With the recent acquittal of a certain individual down in Florida, and after seeing Fruitvale Station, I needed some lighthearted fare (and not to mention some AC). I thought Stuck In Love would fit that bill perfectly. I wasn't in the mood for another bout of Pacific Rim and there was nothing else out there that I pretty much haven't seen already so Stuck In Love won out. Written and directed by first time director Josh Boone, Stuck is a story about a fractured family, both structurally and emotionally. It stars Greg Kinnear (look how far Talk Soup has brought him) and he plays writer William Borgens, a man quite literally, stuck in love. He's in a veritable holding pattern for his ex wife Erica, played by Jennifer Connelly, who has moved on with her life and remarried, though William is sure, beyond a shadow of a doubt that Erica will return to him. He even goes so far as to set a place for her at the table on Thanksgiving.
Erica and William have two children. Rusty, played by Nat Wolff is the youngest, a seventeen year old who idolizes Stephen King and Samantha, played by Lily Collins is a twenty something year old, college kid who is getting her first book published. Oh, did I mention that she hates Stephen King? Let the sibling rivalry begin. William is a moderately successful writer and he not so subtlety pushes his kids into becoming writers themselves, but while Samantha throws herself at guys for quick flings and shies away from any real connection, Rusty is like a neutered pet. He's in love with a classmate, Kate played by Liana Liberato who's into all sorts of damaging things but sees Rusty as a lifeboat and latches on. Rusty is open and sharing, a dreamer and romantic, and has a pretty good relationship with his mother. Sam on the other hand despises her mother, hides behind walls, and keeps almost everyone except her dad at arms distance. Even with her dad though, she's secretive and cautious. It's not until Lou, played by Logan Lerman enters her life that her walls begin to crack.
William has taken to stalking his ex, going so far as to spy on her and her new husband from right outside their house, an idea that was done with far more creativity and warmth in Crazy, Stupid Love with Steve Carell. Sam hates the fact that her dad can't seem to move on like her mother apparently has, yet she does know her dad is sleeping with their married neighbor from down the beach, Tricia who's hilariously played by Kristen Bell. Erica can't deal not being in her daughters life in some way, feels she may have made a mistake in leaving William, and even admits that to him at one point. William then divulges a huge secret to Sam and explains why he hasn't moved on with his life. Sam finally understands and tries to make amends with everyone, even Rusty in the coolest way ever.
Stuck In Love is a good movie, it's very well balanced. It has just the right amount of schmaltz and the right amount of heart. At times it takes itself too seriously but those moments don't last all that long. There are some truly endearing moments that will make you smile, and some that will almost bring a tear to your eye, and there are those moments that will make you laugh out loud as you recall being in similar circumstances. The film was shot nicely by cinematographer Tim Orr. There was nothing in the story line that called for any great camera angles or amazing shots, Stuck is pretty much a straight ahead film that was meant to be shot in a pedestrian manner. The music in the film was nice, the moment where Lou shares his favorite song with Sam was timeless. The score though, like the cinematography was pedestrian. There was nothing special or gripping about it, it fit nicely into it's space and it went well with the images. If you need to see something that doesn't require a lot of thought, if you need something light, and you've already seen the popcorn flicks then check out Stuck In Love, it'll make you smile. I'll see you at the theater.
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