Something Borrowed:

Cupid has got it wrong this time

Ruwini JAYAWARDANA

Kate Hudson and Ginnifer Goodwin as best friends Darcy and Rachel

Wedding themes are as popular in the form of star crossed lovers and love triangles in Hollywood films. With Luke Greenfield's Something Borrowed rom-com you have all three in one package.

The movie is about love, friendship, fidelity and standing up for what you want in life. It is based on Emily Giffin's popular novel. The underlying message in the movie is to take control of your destiny. It questions the commitment regarding love, friendship and marriage.

Lawyer Rachel is a goody-two-shoes who is mousy and hardly worth a glance. She is in contrast to her best friend, the feisty blond Darcy who seems to be the life of any party that she goes for. It is no surprise that Darcy has Rachel's law school crush firmly in her grasp - or does she? The real surprise comes when Darcy's soon-to-be husband, Dex, ends up spending the night with Rachel after Rachel's 30th birthday party.

Even more surprising is the fact that Dex actually finds himself drifting away from Darcy and wanting to be with Rachel. As the story progresses we learn that Dex had always harnessed feelings for Rachel but had not voiced them fearing that she is not attracted to him. He tries to convince Rachel to spend some time with him to see if their feelings for each other are real. Trapped by her emotions and her feelings of loyalty Rachel struggles to keep herself in check while helping Darcy proceed with her impending marriage.

Darcy's love for Rachel springs mostly out of the fact that she heightens Darcy's attractiveness. She cannot help letting her friend know how much better looking and well off her life is. Almost hitched to one of the most sought after bachelors in town, Darcy does not give a thought to Rachel's feelings as she brags about her romantic pursuits and wedding. Her selfish manners push Rachel into have a secret meeting with Dex. From there on it is a matter of guilt vs. conscience.

Despite the chaos, the plot makes its way to the predicted happily-ever-after finale. The director tries to highlight the fact how snobbish and bitchy Darcy really is at every given moment so that the Dex dumping Darcy incident does not come as a surprise.

The movie had employed an overdose of stock characters. You get the mousy but sweet and single Rachel, the popular, party going and manipulative Darcy, Dex - the knight in shining armour who is caught up with the wrong girl, Steve Howey's Marcus as the womanizer and the comic sidekick in the form of Ethan. Each character is as tiresome as the other so that in the finale you end up not liking either one of them!

The director has also failed to develop the character of Rachel's trustworthy friend Ethan who could have been an interesting figure in the tale. Apart from the few goofy scenes where he tries to escape from an ex-girlfriend turned stalker, his character does not add much detail to the plot.

One of the real let downs of the movie is the total lack of chemistry between Rachel and Dex. Ginnifer Goodwin and Colin Egglesfield do not even manage a spark and seem increasingly uncomfortable in each other's presence. In contrast Eggesfield seem to share great chemistry with Kate Hudson's Darcy. This makes us question the turn of events. This only adds to the silly element set off by the characters so that you loath them even more.

Hudson does well as Darcy. The mean vixen role suits her. Goodwin is dull as the intended 'heroine' of the movie. Other than smile and be supportive, her character vanishes into Darcy's shadows - the exact opposite of the director's intentions in Something Borrowed . Eggesfield's character is not up to the mark as the charming guy whom both female leads have fallen for. He remains more of a two-timer in the audience's eyes than a hero.