Movie Review: 'New Year's Eve' enjoyable despite lack of plot
Submitted by admin on Mon, 12/12/2011 - 11:08am
Sometimes watching a dreck movie and enjoying it can be embarrassing. Such is the case with "New Year's Eve," a multifaceted comedy of sorts playing at the Fandango Galaxy cinema in Carson City. The cast is all-star, from Hilary Swank to Robert De Niro. And while the film is pure twaddle, director Gary Marshall keeps all the balls in the air. And he should be able to; he made the same movie last year on a Valentine's Day theme.
Idea is eight sort-of disconnected people facing problems. Swank as Times Square spokesperson has a hitch with the Times Square ball which gets stuck halfway up the pole. De Niro's problem is that he is dying and wants to see the ball go down one more time. Halle Berry (too long absent from the screen) is De Niro's nurse who conspires to help him have his dying wish (but is he dying?).
Then there's Michelle Pfeiffer (also too long away from the action) as a record company secretary with a list of things to do, including quitting her job. Bike messenger Zac Efron helps her with motor bike rides and swinging her from aerial ropes before he kisses her as she protests she's too old for him.
Jon Bon Jovi appears and sings his love out to Katherine Heigl (who winds up in a skintight dress that must have been greased for her to put it on) whom he stood up last New Year's eve. And Josh Duhamel in black tie has to give a speech at a swank party, which he does nicely giving the movie a touch of sanctimony before hooking up with Swank, who also delivers some uplifting oratory.
Berry gets to sanctify things as well with a TV talk with her boyfriend in Afghanistan. She's so lovely that what she says or does doesn't matter.
And not to be forgotten is old faithful Sarah Jessica Parker as the mother of Abigail Breslin, who only wants to celebrate with her friends but mommy is worried about her safety out there with all those ordinary people in Times Square.
Ashton Kutcher and Lea Michele get to get all fuzzy after being stuck in elevator; he's anti-New Year's and she's got a backup singing date on Times Square. But they make it up in the end.
There's also a race to see who will win the $25,000 prize for the first baby born in. 2012. And of all people, Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City also offers a dumb cameo appearance. Talk about covering all you bases!
Did I mention that there is a plot of sorts? Don't worry about it, this film doesn't need one with all those stars. Product placement is common throughout the movie, a kind of payoff from Toshiba, among others.
Last year's Valentine film took in more than $200 million, and odds are "Eve" will do just as well. So maybe we can look forward to a Fourth of July or Labor Day version by Marshall. Don't hold your breath and don't be embarrassed by enjoying this movie. It's holiday time so we can all let down our brains.
--- Sam Bauman
Cast
- Jake T. Austin
- James Belushi
- Halle Berry
- Jessica Biel
- Jon Bon Jovi
- Abigail Breslin
- Chris "Ludacris" Bridges
- Robert De Niro
- Josh Duhamel
- Zac Efron
- Héctor Elizondo
- Cary Elwes
- Carla Gugino
- Katherine Heig
- Ashton Kutcher
- Seth Meyers
- Lea Michele
- Alyssa Milano
- Sarah Jessica Parker
- Russell Peters
- Michelle Pfeiffer
- Til Schweiger
- Ryan Seacrest
- Yeardley Smith
- Hilary Swank
- Sofía Vergara
Directed by Garry Marshall
Produced by Mike Karz, Wayne Allan Rice, Garry Marshall
Written by Katherine Fugate
Music by John Debney
Cinematography Charles Minsky
Editing by Michael Tronick
Running time 118 minutes, rated PG-13
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