Getting my Jennifer Westfeldt on

I want to make sure I see everything Jennifer Westfeldt has ever done (I know, I'm a pathetic groupie), and this week, I got a chance to get a lot closer.  (To be fair, I try to see all the movies that lots of people made, like Jeff Goldblum, and Chris Cooper, and a bunch of other folks too.)

How to Lose Your Lover (aka "50 Ways to Lose Your Lover") from 2004. I've had this movie on my radar for awhile. Alana's school was shut down due to a power outage, so I found myself at home with some time on my hands ("found time" as they say), and thought I would take the opportunity to wrap some holdiay gifts and watch a movie I hadn't had time for. 

Anyway, somewhat surprisingly, she's actually not the best thing about this film, and I think she's a little wasted in it (like they told her not to overdo it and she's a little muted, which for her is not a good thing, IMHO). But Paul Schneider (who I've seen in small parts in larger movies, like Brad in The Family Stone) is terrific as the lead here, and it's a really funny, charming movie. It's definitely low budget, which is not a problem at all for me, and the writing is sharp, and the actors do a great job. I always think that independently-produced romantic comedies are better than the Hollywood ones, because they're always funnier and more romantic. The idea of being totally honest to run someone off is reminiscent of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, but the concept is used to better effect in this movie and doesn't feel nearly as stilted as it did in Kate Hudson's film. The movie didn't go quite where I thought it was going, which is a bonus, and it has great kissing too.  The first half is a little stronger than the second half, but not enough to spoil the experience.  Overall it was offbeat fun!

Before You Say "I Do" from 2009 wasn't as good.  I hadn't realized it's a Hallmark movie, and (I assume) because of that, it's pretty saccharine.  But not bad.  Again Jennifer is rather generic, almost like any pretty 30-something could have done this part.  The adorable David Sutcliffe, as the male lead, makes the mythical perfect guy believable - sensitive, devoted, romantic (I most remember him as a yummy policeman boyfriend in a few episodes of Private Practice).  It's a sweet little fairy tale about True Love; certainly not memorable, but also not painful (like other Hallmark movies I've watched recently).  One minor complaint is wasting the talents of the lively Lauren Holly as a key secondary character - she's given way too little to do, and is improbably paired up with a nice, but dorky and rather ugly guy at the end - she deserves better.