I’M WITH LUCY
US, 2002, 90 minutes, Colour.
Monica Potter, John Hannah, Gael Garcia Bernal, Anthony La Paglia, David Boreanaz, Henry Thomas, Harold Ramis, Julie Christie, Julianne Nicholson.
Directed by Jon Sherman.
I’m With Lucy is a romantic comedy – one of those that you enjoy if you are in the mood for it. Otherwise…
The focus is on Lucy, suffering from allergies, lacking self-esteem, wary of her parents. She dates five men – and the audience has to guess which one she will end up with. Towards the end this becomes fairly obvious.
Monica Potter has appeared in a range of films including being the villain in Along Came a Spider as well as a tough lawyer in Reversible Decisions. She also appeared with Robin Williams in Patch Adams.
The men are played by a wide variety of actors, international selection: Scottish John Hannah, Mexican Gale Garcia Bernal, Australian Anthony La Paglia, Americans David Boreanaz and Henry Thomas. Her parents are played by director Harold Ramis (Ghostbusters, Analyze This, Multiplicity) and Julie Christie.
The film is very light in its touch – of more appeal to the age group of the protagonists of this story.
1.The appeal of the film? Romantic comedy? For what audience? Older or younger?
2.The New York settings, the excursion to Miami? Songs and score?
3.The structure of the film: the indication of boyfriends, of dates, of the time of the year and season? The intercutting of these dates? The cumulative effect? The consequences for each of the boyfriends? Lucy’s choice?
4.The portrait of Lucy: her age, background, work? Her sister and friends? The break-up with Peter, her thinking that the commitment was forever, his cavalier attitude in the elevator? The various dates? Her unwillingness, drinking, sensitive, committed to a relationship, dreaming of what might be? The final choices, the courting by Barry, her infatuation with Luke? Her coming to Barry’s party? The commitment – and her caution after the rollerblading and his giving her the ring? The happy ending with the marriage? Her relationship with her parents – and the fact that it was Barry whom she brought home, had the meal with?
5.The suitors: Doug, Scottish, repressed, his relationship with his wife, the divorce, taking Lucy out, her being drunk, his timid manner, the meal, concern for her health, the discussions, his surprise at her frankness?
Bob: brash, his reputation, baseball player, rough, expecting people to know who he was, signing autographs, going to the concert, bumping people, uncouth? In the car, his jokes? Later meetings, his sense of humour, Lucy’s being calm with him – and also upset? At the wedding? Making a line for her girlfriend?
Gabriel: playwright, Caesar in another life, romantic, the bedroom scenes, his talk, the cooking? No prospect of commitment?
Luke: medical, charming, the excursion to Miami, fishing, Lucy on the phone and describing the fishing, the boat? His going away, return, her commitment, in the loft? At the restaurant, the spilling and his severe reaction with the waiter? Her realising that he was not for her?
6.Barry: childhood, his being tense, the bad day and firing people, her allergies, his going round the city to find some medication for her? Tension, relaxing? His being ordinary? Going to her house for the meal, the fussing by her parents, she and her mother fighting and spilling stuff over him, the change of shirt? His taking her rollerblading, courting her, giving her the ring? Living in hope? Seeing her with Luke? Showing the home movies on the wall? His relating to her parents, their being keen on him? The karaoke, her coming? Declaration of love? Marriage and happy ending?
7.Lucy’s sister, friend? Their discussions about boys, relationships, forcing Lucy out? Phone calls, dependence? The wedding, Bob doing the line for the friend?
8.Jack and Dori, Lucy’s parents, her not at home with them? The awkwardness of the meal, discussions, her mother telling her private stories? The home movies? Their being pleased with Barry? The happy wedding?
9.A happy ending – and Lucy’s and Barry’s future?
