A funny, captivating film. Honest in its approach to portray the difference between people and true love. We all make connections we people through relationships but we may not always make the right decision at the right time. It may make you at crazy, but when you've been 'cheese sandwiched' then you will know that you don't want anymore. If you want to experience someone else's view on love and sex watch it, you might love it or hate it, either because you think its rubbish or because you might not like what its saying. But we all do it so why not humour yourself, after all were all looking for that one connection, the one piece of comfort we find in this ever lonelier world. -A bit deep? well its only an opinion!

LOVE AND SEX (2000) *** Famke Janssen, Jon Favreau, Cheri Oteri, Noah Emmerich, Ann Magnuson, Josh Hopkins, Rob Knepper, Vincent Ventresca, (Cameo: David Schwimmer). Dir: Valerie Breiman.I love Famke Janssen. Her curvaceous, statuesque physique and indelible cheekbones, the lush lips and alert dark brown eyes complimenting her mane of raven hair… Sorry. Ok now that I 've got that out in the open I can now happily say that her latest film, and first comedy, is an engaging and funny look at two characteristics seldom in synch during relationships.The aforementioned sexy significant other in a parallel universe stars as Kate a young woman facing her past and present affairs of the heart largely due to her stressful job as a feature journalist for a chic women's magazine not unlike Cosmopolitan run by her shrewish editor (Magnuson, always a welcome sight and doing a slight riff on her character from her sitcom 'Anything But Love'), who forces her to make a deadline about an article on finding (and loving) the right man.Kate has been through the relationship mill and flashbacks in chronology from her deflowering by her French college professor (Knepper) to an unknowingly married man (Emmerich) up to her 14th lover, Adam (Favreau, best known from 'Swingers'), an artist with a flair for the grotesque in his ugly paintings and for his way with being forthright in conversation. Immediately smitten by his charm Kate falls in love and is convinced Adam is her soulmate and vice versea.What follows is a string of sequences of the ups and downs of their relationship with echoes of 'Annie Hall', 'She's Having A Baby' and 'When Harry Met Sally…' but maintains a smartness all its own and largely for a change of pace, told mostly from the woman's viewpoint thanks to novice filmmaker Breiman who also penned the sassy, self-deprecating screenplay. Many of her setups take time and are played loose for full effect as well as some genuine out loud laughs, especially when Kate and Adam break up and they keep running into one another with new partners (I loved Kate's assessment of one of Adam's young nymphos as a Lolita and when he defends her by saying she plays the harp her tart retort is, 'Oh so she's a bimbo savant'.) Favreau seems to be channeling Albert Brooks with his wire rim glasses and curly hair as well as being funny on his own (his sudden realization of making the biggest mistake in dumping Janssen is an all too true moment not unlike the classic scene in 'Swingers' when he makes the biggest faux pas: answering machine redialing).Oteri, the current Gilda Radner of 'SNL' has a small but amusing part as the Mutt to Janssen's Jeff (or is that the other way around) and one of the largest laughs is by the unbilled Schwimmer; to say anymore would ruin a fine gag.But the biggest surprise is how adept Janssen is in being such a real character and not a cool cucumber as she has been more or less typecast in her other films. Think Janeane Garafalo trapped in the body of a supermodel and you pretty much get the sum of the parts of her Kate.Chemistry, all-too-familiar genre refreshened and a sparkling turn by Janssen makes for a nice date movie (even if you've been married 50 years or it's a blind date) and a good laugh at the foibles of following one's heart (with heartbreak).

The screenplay was witty and had a sense of true comedic timing.The movie only showcases a bit of what the screenplay held.Valerie Breiman wrote a fantastic script, but her direction was somewhat lacking, and I felt that the actors did the best they could with what she gave them. There were some elements of great comedy, but the timing was just a BIT off. A more experienced director could have played up the many one liners and the countless funny moments from Kate's love life. The ending just sort of showed up, which was disappointing, and she could have worked more of the new article deadline into the story. And unfortunately, the one serious moment in the story (which was acted very well) was too short and it could have been explored more, and could have exhibited itself further in the story as something like that affects someone very deeply, even Kate.Jon Favreau is a very funny man and from what I've seen a pretty good actor. Famke Janssen, while best known as the best bad Bond Girl and Jean Grey from X-men, isn't known for her acting ability, having taken some roles in some very VERY bad movies. However, I think almost each and every time she makes a movie she gets better and better. This was the first time I'd seen her play something other than the one dimentional characters from her previous roles. I think that in 'Love and Sex' and also in the new 'X-2 X-Men United' she's starting to show some real acting chops, some true depth, indicating that she's more than just a former-model-turned-actress cliche. She turned out some very very funny scenes, but the director as I said earlier just missed out on the very jokes she had written. Hopefully, Ms. Janssen will start to get some meatier roles to play, based on the potential she showed here and the heart and soul she's brought to a comic book character for crying out loud. But that's another review and a completely different type of movie. I'd like to see her do more comedy.Ms. Brieman gave a decent 1st time out movie, it just could have been so much more. I still really enjoyed it and if I had the money I'd go buy it. I got the humor, and appreciated it, even though it was poorly put on the screen. Maybe its because I'm just as neurotic as Kate and Adam.

But I liked it... I am a sucker for this kind of story, each and every time. Even a half-baked one. It just runs too deep with me, and I suspect with lots of people. One thing though, why do so many Hollywood films these days seem to take little jabs at Christianity? What? Yeah... I mean, it seems like it's always the Christian women being romanced by a Jewish actor, or a Jewish character, and never the reverse. That in itself is just unblanced, but not anti-Christian. The anti-Christian element comes in with things like the "blind date" coming to the front-door and badgering what's her name with the hard-sale for "Jeesus". Or the cross being predominately displayed above her bed, after the break-up - what is the message here? I've seen lots of jabs like this, and while it doesn't bother me per se, I do notice it and will point it out.