Review of De-Lovely (2004) by Lindsay B — 27 Aug 2007

I'm in two minds about this movie. I'm not convinced I like the framing device, and Kevin Kline has never really managed to engage me in dramas. Contrary to a bunch of reviews I read, I actually much preferred Ashley Judd's more subtle performance. She played Linda as a woman who knew what she was getting herself into and handled it with grace, but could never reconcile it. The way everyone spoke without talking about how they really felt, all the forced politeness and It's my kind of music, and I love that the movie is absolutely filled to the brim with music, playing constantly and always on topic - it's what I imagine living in Cole Porter's head must have been like. The celebrity cameos really didn't work for me, they were self-indulgent and took me out of the movie.

Overall, the movie didn't quite seem to work the way it should have, but it was an interesting ride.