I once saw pieces of Down with Love on TV. The film is extremely silly and over the top. That was the first thing that caught my eye then and made me interested. However, after all these years that level of silliness just feels annoying. Of course this movie has something amazing as well, like the kind of plot twists you would never see coming, and a lot of them. Still, even they don't seem to be enough to salvage the movie. It's boring, and eventually quite predictable, if you don't the plot twists that shuffle the pack a bit. The 60's aesthetic and music is a nice touch, but eventually this movie was a big let down. The cast is excellent, though.

Down With Love (2003): Dir: Payton Reed / Cast: Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, David Hyde Pierce, Sarah Paulson, Tony Randall: Hilarious romantic comedy toying with every cliché within reach. Set in 1962, the title represents a bestselling book authored by Barbara Novak that informs women to trade men for careers. She is informed by her editor that journalist Catcher Block will do an article on her but he stands her up several times. Her book is a hit and she belittles him on the Ed Sullivan Show. In response he dons a Southern accent and poises as an astronaut to gain her affection to prove her wrong. Perfect sixties setup concluding with a big payoff with key information materializes. Director Payton Reed who previously made Bring It On, quotes from 1960's romantic comedies, particularly those featuring Rock Hudson and Doris Day. Production is radiant and perfectly mirroring 1962. Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor have wonderful comedic timing as he tests the waters and she baits the catch. David Hyde Pierce and Sarah Paulson excel in supporting roles. Both are representatives of the leads yet their dislike only brings them together with amusing results. Finally we have an appearance by Tony Randall who seems fitting since he was famous for the era for which the story takes place. Fantastic and observant film that expresses the need to get down with love. Score: 10 / 10

Down with Love was a nice idea for a movie. I was expecting something fresh and original from this movie. The performances are consistent, and the fast-paced feel of the movie is nice, but the movie tries too hard. When I say the movie tries too hard, I mean the OTHER twist at the end. When Renee's character, Barbara, turns out to also be someone other than who we think she is. I was fine with Ewan's character using another identity, it made sense, but when Renee's character reveals she's someone else, it just ruined the movie for me.The movie is entertaining, but the twist is just annoying. It was unexpected, I can say that much, but it wasn't needed. The movie could've been much better without that twist.

Meet Catcher Block (Ewan McGregor) he's a "ladies man, man's man, man about town" type of guy, and Barbara (Renée Zellweger) is more of a man's woman, all decked in pink but independent. She wrote the book on how to live life without a man. Literally."Down with Love" is an ode to the sex films of the 1960s. Down to the fashions, feminism, and sex talk à la "Pillow Talk"(1959). It even stars Tony Randall too. It is a gorgeous film, with a lot of pink, a sexy leading man, and a lot of sexual innuendos. But compared to the Judd Apatow sex comedies of the 2000s, this is tame. Well silly and way over-the-top, but still pretty tame.McGregor is gorgeous as the sexy leading man and Zellweger is pink-ified as the feminist leading woman. They have their fair share of sex jokes, gender stereotypes and ruses, but it's also really funny. "Down with Love" is a fun romp through 2003 disguised as 1962.