Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Kristin Bell and Josh Duhamel team up in the new romantic comedy When in Rome. Bell plays a workaholic New Yorker named Beth who doubts she will never meet a man she could love as much as her work.
Predictably she meets this man on a trip to Rome, but, as usual, there are a few catches. Duhamel plays Nick, the smitten reporter who spends the movie trying to prove that his love for her is real.
Directed by Mark Steven Johnson, “When in Rome” premiered Jan. 29, 2010.
Kristin Bell also starred in Veronica Mars and Forgetting Sara Marshall, while Josh Duhamel played the Air Force hero in “Transformers.”
Upon her arrival in Rome, Beth swipes a few coins from a wishing fountain out of bitterness and in order to spare others of the troubles and heartache that come with love. Back in New York Beth realizes that she has multiple men after her heart, including Nick, the charming reporter she met while in Rome.
“My favorite part was when they met at the beginning at her sister’s wedding because they seemed like a real couple and I almost wanted them to be!” said sophomore English secondary education major Meghan Hardy.
Although viewers will be rooting for Beth and Nick, their onscreen chemistry is greatly overshadowed for the better part of the movie by the rest of the distracting characters and annoying script.
A model, a magician, an artist and a sausage lover stalk Beth throughout the entire movie due to a spell that was placed on them when she took their coins from the magical fountain.
Meant to add humor to the movie, these characters took away from what could have been another cute, foreseeable romantic comedy.
Two of Beth’s suitors, John Heder of “Napoleon Dynamite” and “Dax Shepard” added a couple of funny gags to the movie, but for the most part simply distracted.
“I really like both of the actors playing the characters. I thought that it was going to be funny, but it was pretty corny at some parts.” said sophomore elementary and special education major Samantha Foster.
Upon Beth’s discovery of the spell, she worries that the fifth coin she took from the fountain may be Nick’s and has to figure out if the love Nick has for her is the result of the spell or if she has finally found the real thing.
“I think they did what they could with the script they were given.” said exercise science major Kate Riddle of the leading character’s acting.
“Overall the movie could have been better. It was a cute story line, but had no real depth to it.” said junior Samantha Bokoski.
