Cue the cheesy music, intro our ‘fun’ but disgruntled lead characters, and quickly set their relationship status for everyone to know and boom, here we go. I promise I didn’t go into this biased. It’s just right off the bat, one can tell what kind of movie this is going to be. Unpleasant.
Money soon forces these two to work together to steal it back from the businessman who took it from them. This is all the plot. Will they or won’t they get their money back and rekindle their relationship? Do we care?
This quirky little duo provide lighthearted energy to a nonexistent script that desperately tries to be cool and suave like an old school crime caper but all it is a terrible misfire. Emma Thompson and Pierce Brosnan are charming and try so very hard to breathe life into the film but it’s just not working. There’s no reason it should work really. The worst part of all of this is the overbearing music and sound which is constantly telling you how to feel or when you should laugh. Another misfire as it only just annoys.
Thankfully if you’re a fan of either Brosnan or Thompson you’ll find a reason or two to complete the task of watching the film from start to finish. A mighty request to make, one only a few can accomplish.
THE LOVE PUNCH : [usr 1]
About THE LOVE PUNCH
Synopsis: THE LOVE PUNCH is a romantic caper about Richard (Brosnan) and Kate (Thompson), a divorced couple who, after their pension is stolen by an unscrupulous businessman, reunite to steal it back. A whirlwind caper about embezzlement, bankrupt employees’ pension funds and re-discovering old love set in France, THE LOVE PUNCH was a hit with TIFF audiences where it played to full houses with much laughter and great applause.
Written and Directed by: Joel Hopkins
Stars: Emma Thomspon, Pierce Brosnan, Timothy Spall, Celia Imrie, Louise Bourgoin, and Laurent Lafitte.
Rated: PG-13
Runtime: 94 minutes
