The Automatik

The influences that make up the delightful pastiche that is Down With Love are too numerous to mention. In fact, it’s coded with so much familiar iconography that you don’t even have to have seen all the films it references to get it. Hooray for Postmodernism! And then there’s That Touch of Ewan.

From the Charade-inspired opening titles sequence to the Singin’ in the Rain-style song and dance number during the end credits, the film explodes from the screen with an array of sparkling pink wonderfulness. The costume designers deserve a prize for reminding us of the days when seeing Edith Head’s name on the screen was the rule, not the exception. I lost count of all of the cast members’ different outfits, but I’d like to give special mention to Renee Zelwegger’s gossamer peach negligee, Sarah Paulson’s high-necked, sleeveless fuschia dress and gypsy earrings, and Ewan’s electric blue sharkskin suit and pointy, patent leather shoes. And speaking of Mr. McGregor�

Oh Ewan, you are peerless. While Edward Norton taxi drives his way to being his generation’s DeNiro, you are like nothing else: James Bond, Cary Grant, and even a bit of Gene Kelly. His Catcher Block (what a name!) is the lady-killer with the killer grin that you just can’t help but love, even as you’re cursing his macho attitude (count his romps with not one, but three different stewardesses). The scene where he dresses to Frank Sinatra and winks at himself in the mirror is simply divine. Crosscut that with Zelwegger’s Barbara listening to Astrud Gilberto crooning the same tune, and you’ve got a sly comment on the battle between the sexes.

In fact, all the editing is sublime, weaving scenes together through puns, sound bridges, and clever dialogue, dialogue ripe with the sexual innuendo of a fresh-from-the-Hayes-Code film. Even the visual entendres are wonderful, borrowing heavily from films like Pillow Talk. And there’s even a Beatnik scene!

I was giddy when I left the theater and my face hurt from smiling. That should be enough of a recommendation for anyone.