Review: Something Borrowed

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John Krasinski, Ginnifer Goodwin, Kate Hudson, & Colin Egglesfield

Something Borrowed is based on Emily Giffin's 2005 bestselling novel about old friends, romance, and betrayal. I likely wasn't the only one in the theatre for the screening who had read the book a few years back and forgotten it soon afterwards (although during the film, I did keep thinking about the book's sequel).

Rachel (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Darcy (a lively Kate Hudson) have been best pals since childhood. They love each other because they always have. We as viewers aren't exactly clear on why they are still friends, since they have little in common except love for Darcy's fiance, Dex (Colin Egglesfield, All My Children), but we'll come back to that. In Rachel's law office, a sampler hangs on the wall with the "Make new friends, but keep the old..." saying on it. She can't give up old friends, even if they are inconsiderate, selfish and slightly obtuse. She is just that big of a person.

Oh, except for the whole sleeping with her best friend's fiance thing. The mutual attraction between former study buddies Dex and Rachel is consummated after the movie title appears, so I'm not giving anything away here. Throughout the film, the "will-Dex-leave-Darcy-for-Rachel-or-won't-he" tension never gathers much momentum. Darcy and Dex lack onscreen chemistry -- Hudson and Egglesfield are both attractive people but can't create any semblance of an emotional connection between their characters. Their pairing doesn't make much sense in the first place. Still, the plot fumbles so much that about two-thirds in, I didn't care if Rachel got her man or not.

Goodwin isn't very memorable in the role of Rachel -- not that the role is very memorable in the first place. It's hard to sympathize with a female character who upon her 30th birthday says she doesn't want to be "an old maid" (Seriously?! All the cool girls use "spinster" instead). Rachel has some serious self-worth issues, and they don't improve much as the movie goes on.

Kate Hudson's Darcy and John Krasinski's Ethan (another childhood friend of the girls) keep the amusement level of the movie somewhat high. I usually don't care for Kate Hudson in movies, but she is hilarious in Something Borrowed. Despite her character's rudeness and shallowness, you still leave the film really liking Darcy. That's probably thanks more to Hudson than anyone else, including screenwriter Jennie Snyder (90210).

But, oh, the unfortunate costuming by Gary Jones. Some of Rachel's business togs make her appear years older (the "old maid" comment and that she still uses a landline don't help either). Poor Darcy is stuck in various dresses that seem like some third-grader's version of what is fashionable. In one scene set in a shoe store, I actually said aloud, "What the hell is she wearing?" as she appeared on screen in a white bubble sundress. Although I didn't find them so, my friend commented that Kate Hudson's outfits were terrible enough to be distracting.

Despite the laughs that Hudson and Krasinski pack in, Something Borrowed is a weak entry into the romantic comedy genre. If you're a fan of either of those actors, maybe you can just wait until it streams on Netflix Instant.