Juliet, Naked (2018)

It's not often that I laugh out loud in movies but I did while viewing Juliet, Naked. Having loved such films as Fever Pitch. I was not surprised to see Nick Hornby's name in the credits. He has a way with sympathetic characters that always resonates for me. Once again the soundtrack is full of artists I love. I would see this film again...

Everyone was laughing in the movie theater. The jokes are subtle, clever, original. Convincing acting, real characters, none of that fake, plastic Hollywood thing. I'll even watch it again!

Duncan is a lecturer in a 3rd-rate college in a forgotten English sea-side town. He also runs the fan-club of a once-popular American singer-songwriter called Tucker Crowe, who disappeared 20-years ago after releasing an album called "Juliet". One day a cd arrives of early versions and outtakes of the songs on "Juliet", called "Juliet, Naked". Duncan's long-suffering girlfriend, Annie, writes a critical review of the disc on Duncan's blog, eliciting a talkback from Tucker Crowe himself. Their email relationship will grow into something more serious.Based on Nick Hornby's amusing book of the same name, the film is deliciously funny and full of clever twists. It pokes gentle fun at all the characters, who seem a little ridiculous but still ring true. The acting is superb, especially Rose Byrne, who plays Annie: middle-class, nearing middle-age, childless, attractive in a pinched, worried way, trying to do the right thing instead of letting herself go.You'll be grinning all through this delight, as Crowe tries to live down his past while Annie tries to break away from hers.Incidentally, Ethan Hawke, who plays Crowe, (yes, a Hawke pretending to be a Crowe: talk about a wolf in sheep's clothing!) also sings the vocals in what are supposed to be Crowe's songs, which play in the background.

First, you must like romantic comedies or this will fall short. I like good ones and this earned it's place with Notting Hill. Nice plot twists, great acting and a wonderful soundtrack. This part was made for Chris O'Dowd and Rose Byrne was spectacular. Ethan Hawke played such a loser I almost had trouble understanding what any woman would see in him. However, upon mentioning that to the women nearest me in the theater - including my wife, I was immediately slapped down. They all forgave him. And, it's set in England. What more could you ask for?