SnoopyStyle
Marley Corbett (Kate Hudson) is a strictly-single ad executive in New Orleans. She avoids any real commitments with her hookups. Her best friends are co-worker Sarah Walker (Lucy Punch), pregnant Renee Blair (Rosemarie DeWitt) and gay neighbor Peter Cooper (Romany Malco). She feels sick and goes to see Dr. Julian Goldstein (Gael García Bernal). While under, she sees God (Whoopi Goldberg) who gives her three wishes. She wishes to fly, $1 million and something for later. She has late stage colon cancer. Her parents Beverly (Kathy Bates) and Jack (Treat Williams) can't stop fighting even with their daughter sick. She wins a radio contest to learn hang gliding. Dr. Sanders (Alan Dale) tells her that chemo isn't working and she goes on a medical trial. She finally tells her boss Rob Randolf (Steven Weber) and he tells her about a million dollar payout from the life insurance. Peter sets her up with gigolo escort Vinnie (Peter Dinklage) nicknamed Little Bit of Heaven.Is it really a bad thing to cross a cutesy rom-com with cancer? The critics seem to think so. I don't judge it like that. This is by no means perfect. Whoopi Goldberg as God is distracting as hell. Gael García Bernal is not fully committed to being a bad English speaker. He should really throw in a lot of Spanish. Kate Hudson is at home with these silly rom-coms. Her flightiness is more of a defense mechanism so I don't really take it as cutesy. The cancer stuff allows the movie to transition to heartfelt seriousness although it's very jarring sometimes. The tone is a tricky thing in this movie and it does struggle. However I don't mind treating cancer with a lighter tone.
Veronica Bullard
"I am a "young" white female. My father hasn't been the best father. My mom is a complete and total basket case so I have the right to insult them and behave like a 14 year old boy because I am dying. This message is o.k. because I am a "young" white female."I wasn't allowed to shout in my summary but that summary was supposed to be all caps with an exclamation mark at the end. I don't review many movies but this one is so bad that I just have to say something in defense of women and children whose parents aren't "perfect", by the way, who IS perfect?This character should REALLY get over herself. She is insensitive, mean spirited and stupid. She lacks any valid emotions. Everything she says and does is completely narcissistic and I want my time back. Seriously.By the way, I am a female too. This is not a "chick flick" this is a butchering of the true spirit of femininity. Girls are soft, we want to be loved, we want to be treated well by the men in our lives and if we don't get those things that we want we are disappointed but at the end of the day we conduct ourselves as real women do: with dignity. We don't go around starting relationships that we know we can't finish and we don't create emotional wounds in others that will never be resolved (she is dying!). Why would she lower herself to treating her parents like crap when they are clearly not well equipped? This is beneath any human being. It is better for the mental health of the woman and for the cohesiveness of the family to be graceful and do your best to help your idiot parents. Instead of condescending upon her mom and dad she should have done a better job of having some positive quality time spent with them before death. She is dying! Doesn't she want to leave things on a positive note? Doesn't she want her parents to think that they aren't so bad? It isn't like they can have any MORE spoiled, entitled children to screw up. There are tactful ways of going about conveying to your parents that they suck and this character has absolutely no empathy toward the parents and for that and many other reasons I hate this movie. This movie teaches us nothing and is a complete waste of time, film and money. My recommendation: Do not watch this piece of garbage.
Daniel T
I read the description and OK, I thought this was one of those silly Hollywood movies where a girl finds love and blah blah. I was looking for something light to spend my afternoon with some chips and I ended holding an empty tissue box cursing the guys who made those tissues so thin! I cried int he beginning but the end, oh dear, the end was just unbearable. Please note I never get that emotional when it comes to movies, but Kate Hudson's performance simply nailed it. If you're not prepared to cry, don't watch this. You will also need a couple of tissue boxes with you and probably no one else around you so that you can cry all you want. This movie helped me realise so many things and I would watch it again in a heartbeat. I'm so glad I watched it.
Amy Adler
Marley (Kate Hudson) is a rising ad exec with a circle of friends she can count on. But, she is not interested in a long term romantic relationship, she prefers very brief encounters or partners who are unlikely to demand more. Why is this? She is young, beautiful and has a great sense of humor, plus a love of children. Well, its parent-blaming time, for her repugnant dad (Treat Williams) has always stepped on his backbone-less wife (Kathy Bates). Marley doesn't wanted repeated history. Life takes a turn for her, though, when persistent weight loss forces her to make a doctor's appointment. Julian Goldberg, M.D. (Gael Garcia Bernal) is a sensitive, gentle man who also happens to be a very handsome guy from Mexico. It is he who breaks the staggering news that this vibrant woman has fourth stage colon cancer. With very few options, Marley begins one treatment, then another that is her last chance. Meanwhile, her friends try to cheer her up, by sending a dwarf gigolo (Peter Dinklage) to give her a "little bit of heaven" or they take her shopping or dining. Also, Mother moves in to help Marley cope and take care of her dog. What is most amazing is that Marley gains a strong affection for Dr. Goldstein and he, breaking patient protocol, returns the love. Also, under anesthesia, Marley has a visit with God (Whoopi Goldberg) who tells her she can have three wishes before her death. As the list gets ticked off, what will happen if the third is reached? Okay, this film has been criticized heavily for its trite look at a serious illness. Yes, Hudson remains beautiful throughout her illness and seems to enjoy life without a lot of pain, even near the end. Even so, the subject of death is treated with some doses of reality and humor that, this viewer feels, would help others who are combating terminal ailments. The cast is most likely the best asset, for having Hudson, Bernal, Bates, Williams, Dinklage, Goldberg and all of the others is a big plus. Bernal, especially, has the most thankless task of breathing life into a poorly written role and he does well. Also, the New Orleans setting is nice while the costumes are likewise terrific. Romance lovers will be pleased, too, even though the direction and script are a mixed bag. So, if you like tear jerkers or love stories or, as stated, are dealing with sickness, ignore the critics and get it.
