Review of Dedication (2007) by Danielle S — 16 May 2008

Henry Roth: obsessive-compulsive, somewhat misanthropic, a writer of children's books. His illustrator and only friend, Rudy, dies after a fabulously successful collaboration on "Marty, the Beaver.

" Henry is under contract to produce another Marty book for Christmas sales. His publisher, Arthur Planck, assigns penniless, lovelorn illustrator Lucy Reilly to work with Henry. She's sought by her ex-boyfriend Jeremy, who dumped her two years ago but shows up apologetic, having dedicated his new book to her.

She and Henry go to a house on the shore to work. Will love bloom amid the rocks, or is Henry a bump on Lucy's road to Jeremy? Rudy's voice, from the grave, gives Henry counsel. Henry?s font of need is the film?s point of departure.

He looks to Rudy for answers, or more precisely, frequent conversation, concerning his grievances, for instance, that his most recent girlfriend has left him because he won?t agree to marry her. The problem I had with this movie is less to do with the characters or actors; instead it?s the lack of chemistry between the two leads.

This is not to say they don?t have their moments but I look at a character like Henry Roth and wonder how in the hell Lucy could fall for him in the first place. Dedication is a good movie that isn?t anything more than that.

Billy Crudup and Tom Wilkinson are very good.