Okay, the acting is slightly subpar -- but it is romantic, funny, sweet and sexy -- what's not to like?Set in a small town, there is a new girl in town who is shaking some things up.This is the kind of movie you could watch again and again -- better with a girlfriend that for date nights though -- unless your girlfriend is your date, then you'll love it!!Take a chance on this light-hearted feel-good movie, you won't regret it. Know that it is not an "artsy" critically acclaimed movie. Just good fun!

Love on the Side (a.k.a Deluxe Combo Platter - according to my DVD) is actually a pleasant surprise. Sure it doesn't match up with romantic comedies like Harold & Maude, and There's Something About Mary, but seriously, what romantic comedy does now-a-days? It's unfortunate that this movie isn't well known because it could've became really popular, or it could've been one of those indies which lies on the movie store shelf for ages. I say if you find it, watch it. It's not for all tastes because some scenes drag on too long but you could say its part of its charm. I recommend this film to romantic comedy lovers or if you've seen it and looking for another film similar to this, I recommend Mambo Italiano. Take a slice, relax and enjoy.

The movie centres around Eve, a waitress in a small-town diner who has pined for the local football star for years while he barely notices her. She worries about her weight and wonders if anyone will ever really love her. Enter Linda, a leggy blonde from the big city who puts things in motion.A recap from another commentator.It used to be you had to have lumberjacks working in the background, or at least arriving from "lumbercamp" in a rusty pickup or lots of snow and ice...or french Canadians swearing in french to English Canadians for you to be sure it was a Canadian film.Well, I'm here to report that this is no longer so. Canadian cinema has matured and no longer relies on tired clichés to prove it isn't American.Plus, apart from one British Columbia licence plate, there were no overt displays of Canadianism. Didn't see one Canadian flag, no swearing french Canadians etc.So, to the Grade 7 students of Squamish High School I say BRAVO! I'm truly impressed with the calibre of a romantic comedy set in rural BC that they have managed to produce together as a class. The love's story climax in New York City must've really strained the budget.Thanks must also go to the Prime Minister of Canada (former Paul Martin) to have also sanctioned this project. The filming in New York City and the male lead's black Mustang were made possible by his decree that every possible level of federal, provincial, municipal levels of authority and government were there to assist the inexperienced and financially limited immature yet enthusiastic 13 year olds in achieving their goal. I think the US ambassador to Canada must've chipped in too....wow, New York! Regrettably though, moral leadership and mature advice was witheld from the young High School students to ensure the movie was representative of small town life in Canada and an honest portrayal of what's coursing through the Canadian teen mind.As such, the "leggy blond" who visits this backwater heaven is actually a lesbian always on the lookout for new adventures. The main heroine is a naive lovelorn thing and gets crosseyed for the lesbian leggy blonde. From beer swilling jock to suave sincere Casanova....I've never seen a male lead undergo such a transformation. Evidently, the heterosexual grade 7 girls got it right, you can't really expect your female lead to really fall for a beer swilling, unemployed "I only shave once a week", belching, selfish oaf who really needs both hands to be able to count to 10. That may be reality, but it won't do for the silver screen! So, he was remade. At the end, he is (shaved, yes) warm, sincere, intelligent...or much improved anyways, in love of course..and ready to drop his life to join our crosseyed naive waitress studying in New York.Some things will grate on you, especially if your Canadian. For mass market appeal (duh..the US), funny money (or Monopoly money)was not used. In a startling event (I almost fell off my chair), the leggy blonde lesbian, which is now a sensitive, thoughtful leggy blonde horny lesbian, discovers a secret cache of cash in a not so charming pig statuette. All American bills, (with a couple of loonies and twoonies thrown in for eye bauble value) Even if every bill was a 100, there's no way they could've bought what they did with it. There was at best 10K.. Canadian currency was a thumbs down probably because the producers didn't want to raise any alarms about the US being invaded by Canada.Oh well, you get the point. Oh and by the way, if your young and straight, lol, don't move to Squamish B.C. Gays and lesbians abound, and they come from all over too to partake of the few who are not sure if they are.On the positive side, Jennifer Tilly is in FINE form. The lead heroine's eyes are a charming misty grey/blue, and you can't tell the obligatory Parks Canada and Wildlife shots that include pristine lakes are full of acid rain and contain little if any fish.Now, if I was gay or lesbian and American, apart from the licence plate thing and the government department credits at the end, I'd say it was middling to fair and the whole harping about homosexuals that I'm doing is old fashioned and passé. But you will feel a bit disoriented though when you see all those houses and buildings and car bumpers devoid of the American flag. AH HAH you'll say, that movie isn't American!

I just saw this at the Vancouver International Film Festival. It was refreshing to see a movie filmed in Canada that was actually set in Canada -- in Squamish no less. However, the movie was nothing to write home about. I've seen five movies so far in the festival and this was the least original. It was entertaining and had a few twists on the usual small-town romantic comedy, but in the end was somewhat formulaic.The movie centres around Eve, a waitress in a small-town diner who has pined for the local football star for years while he barely notices her. She worries about her weight and wonders if anyone will ever really love her. Enter Linda, a leggy blonde from the big city who puts things in motion.