”What Happens Later” is a holiday rom com now playing in theaters that stars only Meg Ryan and David Duchovny.
Photo Credit - Bleeker Street“They missed their connection,” that is the tagline from this week’s Movie Meow film in focus. Boy, oh boy if I was given one dollar for every time I was told “It’s not you, it’s me.” I think that line was coined for the likes of me, or lack of likes if we are being quite frank! I cannot help it, just like Lady Gaga laments in her once-famous jam, I was “Born this way.”
What Happens Later, this small little valentine, is the first acting role for its lead actress Meg Ryan playing “Willa”(Sleepless In Seattle) in seven years. I’ve heard of a seven-year itch in terms of relationships, but jheesh, I am begging at my day job just to please get my 15-minute coffee break! This chick is off for three quarters of a decade; something is wrong with this picture.
Meg Ryan, who twenty years ago rivaled Julia Roberts as America’s Sweetheart and the box office gem of romantic comedy gold. She starred in countless hits like When Harry Met Sally, When a Man Loves a Woman (my personal favorite), French Kiss, Courage Under Fire, City of Angels, You’ve Got Mail, ok I’ll stop now.
In her latest testament to the familiar genre, Ryan is opposite David Duchovny (Pet Sematary: Bloodlines) playing “Bill.” No offense to all the Bills out there reading this, but can a man’s name get any more generic than that? Every Bill I have ever met has been a total sleeper.
So, for starters if you are not a Meg Ryan fan like I am, inherently to blame through my late mother Donna Marie, you will in all probability never see the light of day of this project, and quite possibly be bored to tears like my guest who sat beside me.
This is no doubt a shining vehicle just for its two leads. There are literally no other characters or faces in this film with the exception of the prominent voice heard in the airport overhead while these two ex-love birds are stuck together unexpectedly after not being in each other’s company for what seems like a lifetime. That is the principal premise of this romantic comedy. The movie never leaves the confines of the mid-western regional airport, so if you are claustrophobic, you may want to sit this one out baby.
And on that note, do not ever forget no one puts baby in the corner! If you get that classic film reference, you score three points in my eyes. And if not, well you are lame and need to brush up on your movie-going experiences…
What Happens Later is witty, charming, and nostalgic. It made my soul all warm and fuzzy in all the right places. All while being filmed in the CGI borrows of a seismic winter wallop.
Meg Ryan, the one-time real-life ex of musician John Mellencamp (I am still salty over their separation), sure she’s clearly pumped up with vials of neurotoxins also known as Botox, and lip injections, but she still looks rather fabulous for an actress who is now 61-years-old. Hey, whatever works is my motto!
If you want to favor a film that solely focuses on relationship taboos and strong points alike, then this one may be a sweet note for you and yours. If not, then you may rather want to start breaking into some premature slices of that upcoming pumpkin pie instead!
“What Happens Later,” starring Meg Ryan and David Duchovny
Christopher’s “Meow” Score: “6 1/2” paws out of 10.
