TWO WEEKS NOTICE

US, 2002, 105 minutes, Colour.
Hugh Grant, Sandra Bullock, Alicia Witt, Heather Burns, David Haig, Dana Ivey, Robert Klein.
Directed by Marc Lawrence.

Two Weeks Notice is an amiable romantic comedy. It is a star vehicle for Sandra Bullock and was written by Marc Lawrence who wrote several vehicles for her: Forces of Nature and the two Miss Congeniality films. Lawrence was also to direct Hugh Grant again in Music and Lyrics, with Drew Barrymore.

The film combines several familiar stories. Sandra Bullock is the protesting and freedom-loving lawyer who meets a top businessman, played suavely of course by Grant, and they click. When she starts to work with him, he begins to rely on her for absolutely everything, however trivial or domestic. She leaves.

There is then a clash as she protests to save a building which he owns. Needless to say, there are a lot of humorous situations (of the smiling rather than laugh out loud kind) and the exploration of the popular theme of saving the environment, protesting against the developers, a critique of global corporate merciless types.

There is a good supporting cast including Alysha Witt as another lawyer, Dana Ivey as Bullock’s mother and stage actor from London, David Hague, giving a comic turn.

Forgettable but entertainingly light while you watch it.

1. Popular romantic comedy? The appeal of the stars, their style? Wealth and poverty issues, business background?

2. The use of New York City as a character, the emphasis on architecture, the photography of the buildings, the explanations, central Manhattan, the tall buildings, Coney Island and Brooklyn?

3. The musical score, the range of songs, their popularity - and serving as humorous and ironic comment on the action?

4. The plausibility of the plot, the characters? Romance American style? The types and the issues raised?

5. Wealth and responsibility, protest and service, the credits and the photos of George and Lucy as they were growing up, their backgrounds, Lucy as a protester and from a protesting family, George and his wealth?

6. The introduction to Lucy, lying down in protest, the reaction of those demolishing the building, her parents bailing her out, their history of law, protest, bail? Lucy as a person, devoted to causes, her home life, on her own?

7. The contrast with George, his wealth, his relationship with his brother, their discussions, deals, at work in Manhattan, his reputation, ladies' man, irresponsibility? The destruction of historic buildings? Profit from new building?

8. The encounter with Lucy, hiring her, George and the staff interviews? Lucy accepting, discussing with her parents, it seeming to be against her principles, a possible compromise, the deal for the saving of the Coney Island building? Her initial wariness, her mother's criticism? Her being welcomed by the staff?

9. Her success at work, the captions with time passing, George and his decisions, wanting opinions on all kinds of things, dependence on Lucy? The deal about Coney Island and her trying to help those in need? George and his continued phone calls, her being at his beck and call, at the wedding, leaving the altar, her growing exasperation, giving the two weeks notice?

10. The interviews for her job, the humour, George putting his foot in it? June and her adulation of Lucy and of George? Her being hired? Her success, at the party, the clash with Lucy and their shouting at each other? Going back with George to the hotel, the strip-chess, Lucy arriving? Her blurting out about the deal being off?

11. Lucy and her reaction, refusing to see George, her compulsion to eat when she was under stress, going to work pro bono, her work and George's arrival?

12. George and his being summoned by Howard, the pressure as regards the deal, the party, the audience not hearing his speech, Lucy hearing about the deal being broken, her anger after getting dressed up, the clashes with June, her own sex talk and bravado?

13. The character of Howard, his wealth, business sense, profit as the motivation, his starchy wife, the pressure on George at the end?

14. Lucy's parents, their liberal backgrounds, their work, their ideals, their support of their daughter? The meeting with George and Ruth's attack on him?

15. Lucy's friends, joining in the protest, the proposal, the wedding and Lucy running out, the later conversations?

16. The humour of the ending with the booking of the meal for two?

17. With the focus on poverty and wealth, comfort and struggle, the film as a pleasant comedy having its cake and eating it?