May 17, 2003 08:55 PM
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(Updated May 17, 2003 09:26 PM)
'The Object Of My Affection', the story of this romantic comedy has been adapted from a novel of the same name written by Stephen McCauley. This is one movie which manages to go very near to the book, though some changes have been made using cinematic liberties to keep up the mood of the final glossy product.
The characters:
Nina played by Jennifer Aniston
George played by Paul Rudd
Dr. Joley played by Timothy Daly
Vince played by John Pankow
The Story:
A party scene. Nina isn't enjoying it at all. Same is the case with George. They soon get close after they are formally introduced. Meet Nina, a social worker. Meet George, a first-grade school teacher. Contradicting many similarities that Nina & George share, there is a difference between these two individuals. Nina is straight (heterosexual), while George is a gay (homosexual). As the story moves forward, George breaks off his relationship with Dr. Joley. He has been staying with Dr. Joley at his place. Now as the affair is over, he has to check out. He moves in a bedroom in Nina's Brooklyn apartment. The two quickly become best friends. One day, Nina tells George that she is pregnant. The baby is from her boyfriend, Vince and George is the first person she tells this to. And to top it, she tells him to keep this a secret from Vince. To add to George's confusion and Vince's frustration, Nina starts falling in love with George, while George starts getting attracted towards a young actor (Amo Gulinello). What happens next? Don't ask me. Instead catch the flick.
The protocol of 'The Object Of My Affection'
Director Nicholas Hytner tells the tale of this strange relationship with a dash of humour. Humour never dies throughout the flick. It comes attatched to every scene, even the scenes where the characters are struggling, thus giving a slight hint of black comedy to a romantic comedy. However here humour isn't loud or the laugh your heart out type, rather it keeps a smile lit up on the viewer's lips through out the movie. Towards the end when I had tears stuck in my eyes, I was still smilling as the images moved in the motion picture.
The scene where George & Nina are trying to keep the secret of Nina's pregnancy out of Vince’s reach is the most hillarious in the movie. The sequence where George has denied Nina's proposal to grow up the baby together and then the scene, where George is observing a kid playing with his father in a park touches one's heart as the viewer smiles unknowingly. The movie is full of such irresistable scenes. You cannot move your eyes off the screen for the whole 1 hour & 50 minutes of runtime.
The Performances:
Jeniffer Anniston excels in her tailor made role. The role seems to be written keeping her in mind. She comes out with a cool performance. Nina is believable as Jeniffer Aniston portrays her. Paul Rudd gives George a perfect hand. George's charm and pathos have been brought out brilliantly by Paul.
The Technical Front:
The director Nicholas Hytner wins in delivering a light hearted comedy based on a sexual theme. The movie never sees you bored, which is very important for a romantic comedy. Nicholas Hytner gets the feel of the movie right to it's topic. Oliver Stapleton's cinematography sets the right mood to the movie. The camera work makes everything seem beautiful as if love is happening to the viewer.
My Observation:
We here on this planet are all very sweet n' nice people in our own ways. We are happily ready to know others, help others, trust others, love others. But when dreams of these very others whom we love and care for, come in way of our dreams we always tend to stick to our own rather than helping others fulfill their dreams.
