The romantic comedy has been a staple part of the cinematic diet for years, earning a reputation for being the onscreen equivalent of comfort food.
Of course, much like sugary treats and snacks in general, if the ingredients aren’t put together in the correct way, it can often leave you feeling worse for wear. The analogy certainly applies to 2010’s When in Rome, which was cobbled together in the most formulaic fashion possible, and ended up being savaged by critics as a result.
Daredevil and Ghost Rider‘s Mark Steven Johnson helms the whimsical tale, starring suitably beautiful people Kristen Bell and Josh Duhamel. The former travels to the titular Italian city, where she ends up in the possession of magic coins from a fountain. Suddenly, she’s got all sorts of suitors (including Danny DeVito, Jon Heder, and Will Arnett) coming her way to stake their claim for her heart, with Duhamel’s reporter breaking out from the pack to kick-start a whirlwind romance.
Running through almost every imaginable cliche, When in Rome doesn’t possess a shred of originality, or even a single gag worthy of raising so much as a wry smile. A 17% Rotten Tomatoes score hardly inspires confidence, but that hasn’t deterred Hulu subscribers in the slightest, with FlixPatrol revealing the derivative and repetitive tale of love in a foreign land has been one of the platform’s ten most-watched movies all week.
Published: Jan 20, 2022 04:04 am