DVD Review

Two Weeks Notice

Two Weeks Notice stars Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant, all right. But are they supplied with a good script? That?s a negative, but why is that? Quite possibly because it is so easy for it to not have one.

This romantic comedy could be what everyone expects from Bullock, who has made her career out of playing the legendary dorky lead with all the characters noticing her flaws but at the same time as maintaining respect, and yes, even satisfaction from the actress? general audience. But when you bring Hugh Grant into the discussion, the argument is not quite the same. With years of being famous for films revolved around witty screenplays and themes that ring true, one can wonder what Grant?s thinking mode was when completing his first read-through of the Two Weeks Notice script; actually, I?d like to see the same reaction except maybe in the first ten-to-twenty pages.
The fact that this film is clich? and predictable is not what bothers me, for these concepts can be enjoyable given the appropriate actors and the right script allowing them to take advantage of their talent of producing laughs, if not charming smiles from our behalf. The problem with Two Weeks Notice is that it?s nothing more than it appears to be, and that is a formula-run romantic comedy that is also missing its most crucial ingredient: humor. The film is almost falsely marketed, as I only let out a faint chuckle once in its duration.

But then again that can be an unfair statement, as I can imagine that there are "some" folks out there, even if they are women, who could get a kick out of some of the jokes or gags involved. It just so happens that Two Weeks Notice may be a women-only amusement, and for a product labeled as a date comedy the filmmakers have already tricked fifty-percent of their demographic. And that?s definitely not a good thing to realize if one stumbles upon this after being in search of a rewarding or fun night out in the town.

In one argument the film is rescued by its performers, or shall we say the one and only Hugh Grant. But that doesn?t say much because he is only raising the bar by a slight margin to make this film a mediocre flick rather than borderline pointless. There are no solid reasons to care for the characters involved in its fable. We know it is the typical Bullock and the relentlessly charming Grant, and the screenplay has almost been written knowing who?s going to play these parts, as the material just relies on their presence and not what lies beneath.

But anyone who comprehends Grant?s potential in comedic delivery understands that the outside can produce one reaction, but when he is handed the ability to really dive into the performance and become the persona, the execution is one of those classic occasions where you realize the importance of acting. Two Weeks Notice highlights the idea of a presence in front of a screen, but outside of that there is nothing to back it up; we know the players already, and that is the film?s only defense. If that were writer/director Marc Lawrence?s thesis statement, he has almost failed his midterm with that note alone.

Someone can argue against me and point fingers at American Pie 2, a summer sequel that relied on the familiar figures of its cast and characters from the original to sustain its amusement, not necessarily introducing new groundbreaking material to add to their backbone. But for me I liked its members from its first edition, which carried over the emotions into the second installment; these were people I cared for already and was entertained by, and so I was joyful to once again be in the same perimeters.

The major difference between the two films, however, is that Two Weeks Notice calls for character actors; that is, performers who are traditionally known for specific brands of roles. With American Pie 2 the characters and actors might be similar from the first, but they have not been abused by the Hollywood system; that is, they are not used over and over again for the same story. Sure, there have been American Pie rip-offs, but even though one does include Jason Biggs in the cast (Boys & Girls), Pie?s members for the most part have not been exploited; and so there lies the significant difference in comparison.

Two Weeks Notice has been set-up in a fashion where story doesn?t really matter; the audience already knows the fundamentals walking in, and really, the basics are what it?s about. We have no complex subplots and no real themes that ring true other than the point that it?s possible for opposites to attract and fall in love. We have two actors who are obviously here for either paycheck purposes or simply since they?ve never worked with each other previously, and what a better opportunity; but damn, if only the script had been built with such integrity.

Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back, with the final kiss fading to a black screen as a possible Frank Sinatra song resonates over the end credits. Oh, but wait, it?s actually more like girl meets boy and there ain?t no Sinatra here; I guess that?s the twist at play. For once in my reviewing path I?m actually not going to discuss the plot, because in any Bullock movie where she is opposite a figure of the other sex, we already know the story and can connect the dots. The two meet, they are oddly trying to get along with each other, they think they could never end up with each other emotionally, and eventually?whaddaya know.

Two Weeks Notice is a film I thought held potential for a possible B- movie (maybe C+) in terms of at least being tolerable. But the huge crisis with this romantic effort is that for a film where two people are so predictably going to end up in each other?s arms, the fact that this screenwriter chose them as a couple is the only solid reason for being so is just torturous. Let alone is there a lack of chemistry between the leads, but the written material suggests nothing other than yes, we are traveling on a formula of happiness and the everlasting female cute picture genre.

The writer/director has evidently lost his mind in the ways of his purpose. We?re given a film that thinks it?s something charming and delightful, but in order for that to function there?s got to be a script for foundation and Lawrence has done very little with that first step. What he?s basically done is taken the classic Hollywood clich?, inserted it onto the page, and in between wrapped around two people who couldn?t have less in common at any moment of the fairy tale. And in the end, only to live up to the promise we?re handed the moment of familiarity regardless of logical reasoning.

The end product doesn?t make much sense, but the run-of-the-mill nature suggested that this is the point in the road where something?s gotta go somewhere. Unfortunately for him, the entire stretch is nearly a dead end.

DVD Features:
- Audio Commentary with Sandra Bullock, Hugh Grant, and writer/director Marc Lawrence
- Two Additional Scenes
- 'Two Bleeps Notice' Viewing Option -- Watch Movie with Access to Gags and On-Set Antics
- HBO First Look: The Making of Two Weeks Notice
- Widescreen

Audio Features:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound

Lee's Grade: C
Ranked #122 of 143 between Spy Kids 2 (#121) and 24 Hour Party People (#123) for 2002 movies.

A	0.4%
B	30.0%
C	61.7%
D	8.0%
F	0.0%