Yes, this is a sappy, sappy chick flick. But it’s such a sweet story that you can’t help but love the movie.
Vivian is a hooker. She really isn’t a hooker at heart, but it’s paying the bills (sort of) at the moment.
Edward is all business. The typical rich guy who works too much and loves too little.
The Characters
Edward needs a date for a big business meeting. Only problem is, his girlfriend just dumped him so when he picks up Vivian on accident, and then decides to buy her time for the evening he realizes that this could be the solution to his date problem. No strings for him, extra money for her, a win win situation, right.
Well, almost. Edward doesn’t take into consideration what the repercussions will if anyone he knows finds out about Vivian’s career choice and Vivian doesn’t take into consideration how hard it will be to change to fit into Edward’s life. Along the way, they discover they are very much alike and of course, like any good love story, they fall in love along the way.
The Plot
But it’s not that easy. Edward and Vivian are still from different worlds and realize that. Then all they need to do is find their way back to each other or at least a semi-realistic way to deal with it. They do both.
The Actors
Richard Gere pulls this roll off well, basically because he fits the image nicely of the rich businessman...stern, serious and all work - no play. If you recall, he’s done this type of roll well in a lot of movies.. An Officer and a Gentleman is a good example.
Julia Roberts is versatile. She’s played so many different characters in her short, skyrocketing career, that she’s easily believed as just about anybody. While I don’t think her role as Vivian is her best (I’m partial to both her Erin Brockovich and Shelby in Steel Magnolia characters) it is nicely done and I am not sure there is another actress out there who could have done as well.
The rest of the cast is nicely supported by such other known actors as Jason Alexander, Hector Elizondo, Hank Azaria and Laura San Giocomo. The rest of cast is relatively unknowns, and the blend of famous and non-famous faces is an attribute to the film. It works.
The whole movie does. Maybe because it’s fairytalish... or maybe just because it’s easy to watch.