Release Date: January 10, 2003
Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Brittany Murphy, Christian Kane, David Moscow
Directed by: Shawn Levy
Written by: Sam Harper
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox Films
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (sexual content, some crude humor, a brief drug reference)
Normally you’d think of Just Married as a star vehicle for a pair of hot, young actors: Ashton Kutcher, he of “That ‘70s Show” fame, melds his endearing “dumb” act to Brittany Murphy, the sometimes lovable, sometimes detestable star of films like Clueless and 8 Mile. But while Just Married is little more than a garden-variety romantic comedy in that respect, the film, which is directed by Shawn Levy, combines the talents of these two actors with screenwriter Sam Harper’s funny, wholesome story that everyone can enjoy for a movie that is more than what you’d expect from this genre.
The two actors play Tom and Sarah, newlyweds about to set off on their honeymoon -- though they couldn’t be more mismatched. Tom is constantly preoccupied with beer or sports or both, and his greatest aspirations in life are to make it as a radio DJ someday. Sarah, on the other hand, is young and beautiful, living off her parents’ fortune in their gorgeous Beverly Hills home -- though she wants a humbler life as a writer.
Despite being in love, their friends and family feel the hasty marriage will end in disaster. Tom’s friend Kyle (David Moscow) thinks Sarah is too stuck-up for Tom’s down-to-earth lifestyle, while Sarah’s family is against it because they feel Tom cannot give Sarah the luxury she “deserves.” But the knot is tied, the pair heads to Italy for a romantic getaway -- and nothing seems to go right after that.
For any romantic comedy like this to succeed, it needs a good story with as few clichés as possible. Harper was able to do this, blending formula with ingenuity. For instance, the outright disapproval that Sarah’s parents express about Tom is a sure plot device, put to use in top-notch comedies like Meet the Parents. But Harper also creates the whole theme of a self-destructing honeymoon that provides some funny situations (reportedly loosely based on Harper’s own honeymoon experience).
However, a story does not work without the actors. Despite Kutcher’s track record as a lovable idiot (not only on television but also in Dude, Where’s My Car?), he occasionally separated himself from that type to play a more down-to-earth role. He even does the average newlywed part well, so the men in the audience won’t feel overlooked, as is the case in many romantic comedies.
Opposite him, Murphy is proving to be an actress who will stick around. She’s charming, strong, and goes above her overwrought spoiled brat-from-Beverly Hills role. Between her and Kutcher, and what they do and go through, the movie provides both laughs and the obligatory romantic moments.
Usually a romantic comedy such as Just Married would just goof around, playing off the antics perhaps a bit too much; but this film comes to a sweeter, more thought-provoking conclusion that many critics would not expect. Okay, so it’s no Pretty Woman or When Harry Met Sally, but it is entertaining nonetheless.
all contents © 2003 Michael J. Eiff