Fall in Love with 'Love and Other Drugs'
If you are an Anne Hathaway or Jake Gyllenhaal fan, you will love the movie Love and Other Drugs.
Within just minutes of the opening scene, Jake Gyllenhaal wins over and charms audiences with his strong delivery of lines and goofy smile. Gyllenhaal plays the role of Jamie Randall, a womanizer who becomes a pharmaceutical representative. Jamie unexpectedly meets and falls in love with Maggie Murdock, a young woman diagnosed with an early onset of Parkinson’s disease, who is played by Academy Award-nominee Anne Hathaway. Love and Other Drugs shows how two free-spirited people unite and can overcome their obstacles to fall in love.
The chemistry between Hathaway and Gyllenhaal is strong and both emotionally and physically convincing. This wasn't the first time the two actors have met, however; they worked together five years ago on the set of Brokeback Mountain. Directed by Edward Zwick, Love and Other Drugs raises awareness about Parkinson’s disease, which adds depth and dimension to this romantic-comedy. The seriousness of the disease and the impact it has on people’s lives is eye-opening. While Maggie struggles with the disease, she is faced with new choices as Jamie enters her life. The film is based on the book, written by Jamie Reidy, Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman.
Love and Other Drugs strikes several emotional chords that will make you both laugh and cry hysterically. The movie begins lighthearted but becomes serious and heavy when Maggie’s disease becomes more prominent, and as Maggie and Jamie’s relationship develops. The characters evolve dramatically, and both actors play their role brilliantly.
Unfortunately, supporting character roles do not develop as much as the main characters, which is a disappointment. Hank Azaria, who plays Dr. Stan Knight, Josh Gad, who plays Jamie’s little brother, and Oliver Platt, who is Jamie’s supervisor, don’t develop throughout the movie like Maggie and Jamie do. Through the growth of Viagra and the prescription-drug world, these characters remain the same. It is a stark contrast from the main characters who undergo serious life changes. Additionally, the film is appropriately rated “R” for the film’s content, which includes more nudity than necessary.
Hathaway shines in this movie, as she does in most of her previous work. Love and Other Drugs is thought-provoking, emotionally satisfying, and overall a well-made movie. I absolutely recommend this movie if you are looking for a romantic-comedy with a fresh perspective. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.