Must Love Dogs

This movie is a very feminine romantic comedy. It was cute and funny, somewhat predictable, and basically entertaining for those in the audience who are female. The movie had its funny moments as well as the expected happy ending, but I have a feeling that anyone who wants to see Must Love Dogs is already fully aware of and counting on that fact.

Sarah (Diane Lane) is a recently divorced preschool teacher, whose meddlesome family insists that being single for 8 months after a heartbreaking divorce must mean that Sarah is out of control and needs a dating intervention. Her sister, Carol (Elizabeth Perkins), puts Sarah’s profile onto an online dating service, and everyone sits back to enjoy the ensuing comedic ride. Meanwhile, Jake (John Cusack), has also recently suffered a heartbreaking divorce, and his lawyer, who pathetically enough is apparently Jake’s only friend, forces him to set up a date with Sarah based on her online profile. The two meet, but Sarah is unsure about Jake, as he seems extremely intense and a bit overly emotional for a guy. The movie factors in an additional love interest for Sarah in the form of a recently separated father, Bobby (Dermot Mulroney), whose son is in her preschool class. Despite the son’s claim at the beginning of the movie (and in the oft-repeated trailers) that his dad has a roving eye for lots of women, Sarah is certain that he can be trusted and might be more suited to her than Johnny-Nice-Guy Jake. The movie follows Sarah’s exploration into the dating community, and eventually she must choose between the obvious womanizer Bobby or the sincere nice guy Jake. Confoundingly, this proves to be a difficult decision for her.

What I did like about the movie was the interaction between Sarah and her family, especially her sister Carol. These are the moments in the movie that provide the most humor, and it was also interesting that the film really did make an effort at exploring, however quickly, the feelings and worries of people who have experienced a depressing one-sided divorce. Sarah is uncertain about stepping out into the dating world again, and she is fearful of another sad ending in her life—which I would think should then discourage her from getting involved with a guy who is getting divorced because he can’t stay faithful. But, the film is required to show two diametrically opposed male romantic interests, forcing Sarah to learn a lesson that everyone already understands—the nice guy won’t break your heart.

As I said, this film is predictable, but I don’t believe it was intended to be surprising or filled with suspense. It appeared to achieve its objectives, so if you enjoy these types of movies then I assure you that this one will not disappoint. It is funny enough, cute enough, and has the obligatory cheesy ending, which, in my opinion, was just a little too goofy. Regardless, it provided the expected catharsis, and everyone in the theater got exactly what they wanted. I’m giving it four stars because I believe that while it’s not necessarily a romantic comedy that guys will appreciate on the same level perhaps as women, but it definitely provides precisely the kind of entertainment that its target audience desires.