Leap Year

I was skeptical of this movie, just like I always am of these romantic comedies with wacky premises.  In this case, we have a story of a woman who is so desperate to marry her boyfriend that she puts all her efforts into a silly Irish tradition about women who propose to their beaus on February 29th, Leap Year (and when I use the word silly, it is only to describe the notion that the only time it is considered acceptable for a woman to propose to a man is in Ireland once every 4 years).  Of course, this is all just an excuse to have a meet-cute situation where the unlikeliest of people get a chance to fall in love.  Amy Adams plays the typically anal-retentive, ambitious young woman with OCD tendencies who falls for the roguishly handsome Irish lad (played by Matthew Goode), who in turn is tasked with the somewhat annoying job of softening her up.  That being said, it's REALLY hard to find Amy Adams annoying as she is so darn adorable in anything she does, and she succeeds in turning what would sound like a whiny brat on the written page into someone you can actually sympathize with.  And Matthew Goode plays his part with such aplomb and a devilish twinkle in his eye that it's no wonder why any woman would fall for him.  So yes, the movie is super predictable but isn't this the reason formulaic romantic comedies are made?  They are comforting because we know exactly what to expect... and if done right, just might make you smile throughout (in spite of your better judgment).


3 out of 5 stars