Love and Other Drugs: Under the influence

The movie can boast of one distinction — the most revolting meet-cute in rom-com history.

You’d have to be stoned to enjoy watching Love and Other Drugs — despite its name, the movie fails to produce the mellow high of a well-made romantic comedy, inducing weary scepticism instead of a willing suspension of disbelief.

It’s the 1990s and Jamie (Jake Gyllenhaal), a dedicated ladykiller and pharmaceutical salesman, is pushing Zoloft to doctors who would much rather prescribe Prozac. He doggedly pursues Dr Knight (Hank Azaria), the trendsetting doctor that others in the community follow. He sweet talks the receptionist, flirts with the doctor’s assistant, and finally bribes the doctor to allow Jamie to tail him. This is how he meets Maggie (Anne Hathaway) who suffers from early onset Alzheimer’s. When their casual sex turns to something unexpectedly serious, the two commitment-phobics must decide whether it’s time to split up or stay together.

There is hardly any storyline to speak of — any movie with a plot point which hinges on the lovers’ separation/ reunion must first make us care about the characters themselves. Love and Other Drugs fails — as a viewer, not only do you fail to recognise that Jamie and Maggie are indeed meant for each other, you feel a scornful apathy towards them which is entirely deserving of the sub-standard acting.

Gyllenhaal, who is best known for playing outcasts, is uncomfortable in a role which requires a degree of natural ease and charm. Working a transition from the oddly appealing nerdy boy to Hollywood heartthrob, Gyllenhaal appears fully prepped for the numerous nude scenes. He seems to have taken Tom Cruise as his inspiration for playing the romantic lead and his witless mimicry of Cruise’s gestures is cringe-inducing. Hathaway’s masses of curls and toothy smile are oddly reminiscent of Julia Roberts, minus the effortless charisma. Gyllenhaal and Hathaway are naked or near-naked for most of the movie but their chemistry is still unconvincing and the viewer does not feel invested in their relationship. Will they stay together? Will they split up? Do we care?

The supporting cast is perpetually distracting and artificial, the screenplay consistently lacks in wit and sparkle and the choppy editing doesn’t help either. The movie comes close to making a comment about the American healthcare system but then stops short. Too much seems to be going on in Love and Other Drugs but none of it succeeds in making an impact.

The movie can boast of one distinction though — the most revolting meet-cute in rom-com history. Jamie and Maggie meet in the doctor’s office when Maggie asks Dr Knight to examine a lump on her breast. I mean, wouldn’t you go out with the sales rep pretending to be an intern who gets an unabashed eyeful of your breasts?

If you want to catch a glimpse of Hathaway and Gyllenhaal in the buff, watch the movie, but if you want your monthly rom-com fix, look elsewhere.

Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, February 27^th, 2011.