LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS

US, 2010, 112 minutes, Colour.
Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Oliver Platt, Hank Azaria, Josh Gad, Gabriel Macht, Judy Greer, George Segal, Jill Clayburgh, Katheryn Winnick.
Directed by Edward Zwick.

This is one of those films where audiences, especially older (and much older) audiences who may feel impelled to write off the drama as shallow or amoral or both, need to wait until the final credits for any judgment. The first half of the film might qualify for those descriptions but there is much more substance in the second half.

Edward Zwick was responsible for the popular television series, thirtysomethings. He knows the market for this kind of entertainment. However, the central characters here are in their twenties (as were Rob Lowe and Demi Moore in Zwick’s 1986 film version of David Mamet’s play, Sexual Perversions in Chicago, About Last Night). Twentysomethings will identify with this film.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays Jamie, drop-out from medical school, a carefree type from a wealthy and professional family (glimpses of George Segal and Jill Clayburgh as his parents). He also has a wiz younger brother who has built up a company but has the disadvantages of being overbearingly crass and larger than he should be (Josh Gad). Jamie is a salesman with persuasive spiels and a capacity to ooze charm. When he loses his job (he has no scruple regarding sexual adventures and has to pay the price), he finds an opportunity in selling pharmaceuticals, resuming his charm and insistent persistence. He has clashes with Prozac salesman and steals and throws out their samples. But then Viagra appears and he and the drug are a huge money-making combination.

With his doctor friend, Hank Azaria, he poses as an intern and encounters a young woman who has Parkinson’s disease. They clash. They don’t clash. They relate. They fall out. She, Maggie (Anne Hathaway), is a brash and rather uninhibited type who escorts oldies to Canada in buses to fill their prescriptions in a less expensive place.

So far, so callow and shallow. She is, despite appearances, self-pitying. He is self-centredly self-absorbed.

But, something clicks and he falls in love, finding it difficult to say, but going into action to try to find a cure for Maggie and for Parkinsons. He has gone to a convention in Chicago with its temptations of the high life but she finds that a group of Parkinson’s people and their spouses, at an Unconvention, open up ways of living with the illness and making something of life.

But, she is still unwilling to be dependent and so parts with Jamie. Which means that each of them has to face themself and make mature decisions as to what their future will be and whether it will be together. Can she admit her need for help? Can he? Can he let go of the promotion that would make him more money and fulfil his old ambitions? You guess.

1. A film about twentysomethings – for twentysomethings? The response of older audiences, given the memories of their life at this stage, different stages of growth and maturity?

2. The title, the focus on pharmaceuticals? The background of the story of Viagra, production, marketing? Issues of sexuality, issues of love?

3. Issues of illness, Parkinson’s? Parkinson’s for the young, a reality, the nature of the debilitation, help and dependence? The Unconvention group, discussions, the husband warning Jamie about caring for his wife?

4. A film where one has to wait until the end to estimate the perspective, the values and exploration? The byways and dead ends of experience?

5. Jamie and his age, his life until then, self-focused, selfish, sexuality and his use of women, the focus on money and making money? Seeing him in action, in the technology shop, his spiels and his charm? His relationship with the girl – and her boss, his being fired? The introduction to Jamie?

6. His family, the gathering at the meal, chat and argument, Josh and his company, making money? His father, the doctor, discussions about careers? The mother, preparing the meal? The sister and her arguments? The expectations for Jamie in this family context?

7. The job, the pharmaceuticals? His meeting with Bruce, the training? Travel and talk? The rivalry with the Prozac seller? The training skills, Karen and her teaching, the questions, flirtatious? Jamie and his quick learning? Going on the road, with the samples, discussions with the doctors? His meeting with Doctor Stan Knight? Knight’s refusal? Jamie at reception, his pestering, his charm, wearing the receptionists down? The talk, leaving the samples, taking the Prozac and throwing them into the dumpster, the vagrant man collecting them, sprucing himself up and going for a job interview? The chatting with Cindy? The relationship with her? His meeting Maggie, asking Cindy to get her phone number?

8. With Doctor Knight, as an intern, learning – and the background of his being a dropout medical student? The initial interaction with Maggie, her hardness?

9. Maggie and Parkinson’s, her illness, her lifestyle, brash? The abrasiveness with Jamie? Yet the flirting, the passion? Josh and his moving out from his wife, with Jamie, Maggie coming in, naked? The videos – and Josh looking at them afterwards? Jamie’s reaction? The bonds with Jamie, the relationship? Her illness, his taking her to the convention, Maggie going to the Unconvention, listening to the testimonies, people coping with their illness, an exhilaration? Wanting Jamie to come and listen? The issue of her dependence and wanting to be independent? Her decision to break with Jamie?

10. Jamie and the effect, Josh and his talk, comparing notes, Josh and his prurience?

11. In Chicago, the parties, the serious discussions with Doctor Knight, the pressure on doctors, samples? The decision to take Jamie’s product and eliminate Prozac? Jamie and the girls at the party? Josh, his encounter – and learning something about empty sex? Ready to go back to his wife?

12. Jamie and his earnestness, changing, his very nervous stating of his love for Maggie, the travels, taking her to see the different doctors, the seeking after a cure? His outburst about the non-appointment?

13. Maggie, her artwork, her hands shaking, deteriorating, drinking, the breaking off with Jamie, later meeting him with the date?

14. Jamie and his declarations that he wanted to be with her, the mutual needs, Maggie resisting? Jamie changing, not being selfish? Getting the Chicago job – and Bruce’s congratulations? His not taking it? His being happy with Maggie, love and dependence?

15. The character of Bruce, the family man, on the road, ambitions, not getting the promotions, happy with Jamie, his vicarious pleasure in Jamie’s success?

16. The portrait of a self-centred young man, hedonistic, materialistic – and the challenge to change, his response and his ability to change?