Released in May 2003, the romantic comedy "Down with Love" starred Renée Zellweger and Ewan McGregor. Despite the lead actors' recent successes, the film performed poorly at the box office and received mixed reactions from audiences and critics, who noted its camp style and artificial aesthetic.
Narrative Overview
The film features Zellweger as Barbara Novak, a writer who arrives in New York City in 1962 to release her book, also titled "Down with Love." Novak's book advocates for women to pursue sexual liberation and challenge traditional gender roles. With the assistance of her publisher, Vikki (Sarah Paulson), the book achieves international success.
This success draws the attention of Catcher Block (Ewan McGregor), a journalist at Know Magazine. Block doubts Novak's sincerity and plans to expose her, aiming to demonstrate that women ultimately desire love. He assumes the identity of astronaut Zip Martin to pursue Novak, leading to a narrative where the two characters become romantically involved.
The film's plot involves a significant third-act twist. The screenplay incorporates comedic double entendres and deviates from typical romantic comedy conclusions, allowing the character Barbara to achieve a romantic outcome while maintaining her feminist principles.
Themes and Social Commentary
The film features openly gay actors Sarah Paulson and David Hyde Pierce in supporting roles as the leads' best friends. The narrative includes themes of queer identity and portrays characters navigating societal expectations of heteronormativity in the 1960s. It satirizes traditional gender and sexual performance.
A Stylized 1960s Aesthetic
The film's visual style features artificial, vibrant colors, employing early Hollywood filmmaking techniques such as rear projection, painted skylines, and large studio sets to depict a stylized New York. The sets contain visual humor, including suggestive props and split-screen phone calls. Daniel Orlandi designed the costumes, which reflect 1960s fashion, and the film anticipated later cultural recognition of 1960s attire.
Retrospective and Enduring Relevance
Retrospective analysis suggests that the film's homage to 1950s and 1960s sex comedies like "Pillow Talk" and "Lover Come Back" may have contributed to its initial limited mainstream appeal. Despite its 1960s setting, the film's commentary on sexuality and gender remains pertinent in contemporary discussions. It contrasts with cultural trends that romanticize mid-century conservatism and limited autonomy for women.
"Down with Love" presents a narrative where women and queer individuals achieve love, sex, and equality within a nostalgic, fantastical setting.