I felt the same way about the movie, Raq. I thought it both worked and didn't work, but the problems were inherent in the concept itself: by cramming so many storylines into one movie, they all get short-shrifted. But I still really enjoyed it. It made me literally smile till my face hurt.

Hee. The review I wrote describes it as "Happiness without the masturbation."

what was the relationship between Emma Thompson and Liam Neeson?

Good friends. Her brother was Hugh Grant.

It's one of my favorites. I'd planned on watching it when I get home today!

Good friends. Her brother was Hugh Grant.

I got that her brother was Hugh Grant, but I wasn't sure that good friends would hug each other like that (man wrapping himself around the woman from behind). And I certainly didn't think that a good friend would say, "It's not that I'm not sympathetic your wife just died, but bye."

Or maybe it's just that her character was a jerk.

P-C, that's it exactly. The story I would've cut first was the guy who goes to America to get laid, as that didn't seem to have anything to do with love. But there was some US-British relations subtext going on, so I guess they left that story in there for that reason.

I loved the stand-ins. Them and Jamie and Aurelia were my favorites. And Hugh Grant and Natalie. And I so felt for Laura Linney, but she needed to just tell guy about her brother. He might have understood.

And I love the guy that loved Keira, and...

Well, I'm sure it's no surprise that I love that movie, being the hugh sap that I am.

Is that Patton Oswalt in the Ratatouille trailer? That's kind of a big move for him.

The story I would've cut first was the guy who goes to America to get laid, as that didn't seem to have anything to do with love.

Well, love can be synonymous with sex sometimes. I came to the conclusion that the movie wasn't a celebration of love so much as a celebration of cinematic love. Because it was so consciously contrived with no real pretense otherwise.

I loved the stand-ins. Them and Jamie and Aurelia were my favorites.

I would have cut the stand-ins, myself. The storyline felt distracting and "Hey, we have an R rating!" I did like Jamie and Aurelia. Because Aurelia was hot.

being the hugh sap that I am.

An appropriate typo.

BWAH! Totally appropriate.

I might hazard a suggestion that it is a better film than, dare I say it, The Wild Bunch.

Now you're just trying to get my goat. But I already shot it for wearing suspenders and a belt. How could I trust it? That goat didn't even trust its own pants.

And I certainly didn't think that a good friend would say, "It's not that I'm not sympathetic your wife just died, but bye."

That was my favourite line in the whole movie. Possibly because its the sort of thing I say. Oh dear.

That goat didn't even trust its own pants.

Hee hee. I must tag this. May I?