Maybe it’s because I saw it two days before Valentine’s Day. Maybe it’s because I’m a longtime fan of both Keanu and Charlize. Or maybe it’s just because I’m a girl prone to random crying fits. But whatever the reason, SWEET NOVEMBER made me cry like a little baby and I loved every minute of it.
I went into this film knowing that at the very least I would be entertained for a few hours and I came out thoroughly entertained and appreciative of another movie whose trailer makes it look overly sappy and poorly scripted. Anyone who has seen the aforementioned trailer knows that Nelson (Reeves) and Sarah (Theron) fall in love, Sarah gets sick and that something disastrous happens. Not the most original love story, but there’s a twist. In order to live her short life to the fullest, Sarah agrees to stay with Nelson for a month only, “long enough to be meaningful and short enough to stay out of trouble.” The month, of course, is November.
A perfect date movie just in time for Valentine couples everywhere, SWEET NOVEMBER succumbs to sappiness, but not too often and not to the point of annoyance. Just enough to make boyfriends groan and girlfriends sigh. Fans of the starring couple will get an eyeful too, as both Reeves and Theron look stunning throughout the film and serve as a wonderful foreground for the breathtaking scenery in San Francisco, where the story is set.
If you still don’t want to see this film, at least go to see Jason Isaacs in drag. It’s quite a switch from his cold-hearted Colonel Tavington in THE PATRIOT. Plus, Keanu sings and you can’t get better than that!
SWEET NOVEMBER is not the perfect love story, nor does it have the requisite happy ending. It is not perfectly acted, nor masterfully directed. It is, however, fully what the title implies, sweet. And sometimes that’s enough to make you cry.
—Renae Bolen
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