LAWS OF ATTRACTION

ENTERTAINMENT

RELEASED 7 May 2004

Maybe getting married first is the best way to fall in love. As divorce attorneys, Audrey (Julianne Moore) and Daniel (Pierce Brosnan) have seen love gone wrong in all its worst case scenarios, so how bad could their chances be?

Both Pierce Brosnan and Julianne Moore act their socks off, in ‘Laws of Attraction’ but unfortunately they are far too good for this by-the-numbers rom-com. It chugs along enjoyably through the first legal case, and the drinking scenes, the panties scene (!), Audrey’s mother, and the snowballs are all funny moments. But when each legal party takes on a rock star couple’s divorce over their Irish ‘Castle of Rock’ home, we get all the tired Irish stereotypes, a totally unconvincing ‘rock star couple’ (the rock concert is the most laughable representation of a live gig ever burned to celluloid) and some slushy music every time Daniel and Audrey look at each other. Awwww! And nothing. Really. Happens. The legal jousting between the two lawyers is replaced with sickly sentimental slush. Even through this, Brosnan and Moore truly shine, working overtime to shore up the scriptwriters’ weak efforts. Witty lines like ‘are you really fifty-six? - parts of me are’ appear few and far between. There was also a slightly worrying undertext implying we do and say the things we really mean when we’re drunk. Drinking ‘Goats Nuts’ cocktails gets you sex, Irish Poteen and pint-downing gets you sex AND a ring on your finger! All a little worrying considering the levels of alcohol currently consumed in this country. I think only an older audience are really going to feel like they’ve got their money’s worth with ‘Laws of Attraction’. Shame, with a stronger plot and script, this could have been wonderful.

TWO OUT OF FIVE