Down With Love is about a woman trying to make it in a man’s world. Or is she? Barbara Novak has just written a book called Down With Love, a self-help book for women, freeing them from love, encouraging sex without love, and the idea of replacing a need for men with other things.

The book becomes a worldwide sensation, irritating men worldwide, including magazine writer and ladies’ man Catcher Block. Catcher becomes determined to beat Barbara at her own game and prove she wants what every woman wants – love and marriage.

Down with Love is a shrewd comedy that gleefully imitates the no-sex comedy genre Rock Hudson and Doris Day made famous in the early 1960s. I saw this movie many years ago, so my memories of it were vague before I re-watched it. It’s so colorful and peppy, yet it has a strangely chaotic energy.

Ewan McGregor is so smoothly charming as Catcher. I loved his scenes with David Hyde Pierce, who plays Catcher’s boss and sidekick Peter. David Hyde Pierce was/is one of my favorite parts of Frasier, so I was delighted to see him in this movie. His comedic timing is unparalleled, and he plays off McGregor so well.

Renee Zellweger does a fine job as the headstrong, romantic-at-heart Barbara. There were moments when I thought she might be miscast, but then I realized my lukewarm response to her in this film had more to do with the equally lukewarm chemistry between her and McGregor. I wasn’t feeling it. I preferred the scenes with their best friends to the ones where they were with each other. Sarah Paulson plays Barbara’s friend and editor, Vikki, who has a romantic subplot with Peter. She’s terrific, and I love seeing how her career has evolved since 2003.

Even so, I still thought Down With Love was fun. It’s just a whirlwind of color and vintage frocks, even if it’s sometimes a bit too self-aware. I would say that even if you watch this movie and you’re not feeling it, it’s really worth watching it to the end, where Barbara spouts a two-minute-long monologue breaking down the “plot.” It’s hilarious and impressive, and Catcher’s reaction is priceless.

Down With Love works better as a pure comedy than a romantic one, which I blame on the “meh” chemistry between Zellweger and McGregor. I enjoyed it, and if I saw it on television again, I’d probably stop watching it.

Watched: 03/22/2022
Notable Song: Down With Love by Holly Palmer and Michael Bublé