It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

It's a tale old as time, lonely people searching for love, burned before, but only a singe, not a char. Diane Lane and John Cusack are divorcees who just happen to find each other in the park after he's seen her picture on a singles website. It isn't sparky at first sight, but as these films always go, top billed actors end up together whether they want to or not. So what you end up with is a nice date film, or more recently (and crudely) referred to as a "chick flick". This is the type of film that brings in smiles, first (and possibly last) dates, and yet ends up forgotten by the end of the night. In the case of this one, it's at least responsibly mature, and fortunately, not obnoxious like newer versions of the same old story. Yes, it's filled with clichés, some pathetic, others amusing. It really scores mainly because of the likability of the leads, practically too likable to be believable. If this serves any purpose, it is to indicate why people remain single in this modern age, either just really creepy beyond belief, too neurotic or self centered to even want to lightly socialize with.Christopher Plummer is total sophistication and elegance as Lane's father, whom Lane accidentally sets up a singles date with. He's not as tough to match, finding late middle aged romance with the somewhat bohemian Stockard Channing. Funny that the older characters have a more youthful and welcoming presence than the younger characters. They add the fizz to the champagne that would have gone flat had the vintage not been aged.

Must Love Dogs a romantic comedy that stars Diane Lane and John Cusack.Based on Claire Cook's novel,it tells a story of Sarah Nolan,a mid-thirties woman that finds his dream relationship and the perfect man that every woman has dreamed of after suffering from an emotional crises that was brought about by a divorce that occurred a few months back.Gary David Goldberg directed the movie.Sarah Nolan is a kindergarten teacher who just suffered from a divorce eight months ago.Her sisters, Christine and Carol encourage her to date once again.Despite being unsure and uncertain,she posted her photo and profile in the internet.She meets many men in the process but in the end,she is left to decide between Jake,a smart and good-looking man who brings along a dog for their walks; and Bob,a divorced father of one of her students.This was definitely a childish and silly romantic comedy as it went through the situations and the emotions of the character especially Sarah in an immature manner.Added to that,it was also clichéd and predictable from beginning to end.The comedic scenes also barely elicits any laughter as it was so slapstick and some were even corny.It would have been a worthless enterprise if not for the talent of the lead cast particularly Lane and Cusack despite the fact that they probably are just simply going through the motions of it.Overall,it was far from being average film that one could probably not worry about missing it.

This is one of the weirdest romantic comedies I ever watched. Despite the fact that it was sold as a Lane-Cusack romance, the movie focus instead on Lane dysfunctional family and on her romance with Mulroney.I was puzzled the first time I watched it and a second view proved to be equally bewildering. Lane and Cusack have enough on screen chemistry, but after their encounter their romance move to the background and the two hardly spend movie time together.Instead we are given plenty of time to get to know Lane's family - about which I cared next to nothing - and to explore her attraction for the Mulroney character. This side-lane romance was indeed the weirdest part of the movie.Perhaps it was a technique to show how messy real life is... In any case, is detrimental to the film. The end feels rushed and unmoving. Definitely not recommended.

Mildly amusing date movie has Lane and Cusack meeting cute (in a dog park) and then taking the rest of the movie to actually get together. Lane plays a middle-aged divorcée being urged by her female and obligatory gay friends to get back into the dating scene. The dates she goes on are the funniest parts of the movie, especially one involving a sleazy guy who says to her, "I thought you'd be younger." He admits he wouldn't mind finding an 18 year old to date. The problem with the movie is that it isn't particularly well written, and depends way too much on Lane and Cusack's personalities to pull it off. The ending is a knockoff of about 100 other date movies, and is frankly disappointing. Christopher Plummer plays Lane's dad and Dermot Mulroney is a married womanizer on Lane's trail. Needless to say, Lane has done far better work. So has Cusack, who seems to spend most of the movie working on a wooden boat and watching "Dr. Zhivago."