|
Soul
mate n. person ideally suited to another. ~ The Oxford Dictionary
of Current English.
The
person that "gets" us; the person every single person has in his
or her mind's eye; the person with which all others are compared
against - the one, the someone like you.
 Albeit
a light-hearted comedy, Someone Like You explores the deeper issues
of the human heart: of love and courage lost, of cynicism embraced,
of hearts broken and restored, ready to share once again, and of
the balance between openness and wisdom.
 Jane
Goodale (Ashley Judd) is a successful and attractive young career
woman. She's a producer on a popular daytime talk show, and has
an endearing love/hate relationship with a co-worker and notorious
womanizer, Eddie (Hugh Jackman).
 The
new executive, Ray (Greg Kinnear), soon sweeps her off her feet
in a passionate whirlwind of chemistry and excitement. It's the
whirlwind most single people have experienced at some point, and
Ray knows what to say, when to say it, and how to say it. She feels
got.
Jane,
whom we suspect is more "in love with being in love", is elated.
She forgets one important thing though: Ray has unfinished business
with his girlfriend of three years. Eddie watches all from a distance
and sees the inevitable before Jane does. But Eddie has his own
heart to deal with, a heart that he keeps well protected behind
one night stands and a cynical outlook on lasting, true love. He's
a self-proclaiming romantic atheist.
 It
doesn't take long before Ray breaks Jane's heart. In an effort to
understand what's happened and to soothe her aching heart, Jane
becomes absorbed in studying the male animal (do you get the Jane
Goodale joke now?). She develops a "new cow" theory, and her best
friend (Marisa Tormei), soon jumps on board after her own recent
heartbreak. She convinces Jane to get going as a columnist, and
Jane's "new cow" theory is a hit.
 Trouble
is she's having difficulty supporting her own theory. The male animal
is often kind, committed, and loyal - he can seem truly capable
of loving well. Is it about "new cow" theory or her own nature and
choices? Who's to blame for her broken heart? Could she be the problem
and not the men?
Someone
Like You gets to the heart of the matter. Ray is a wolf in sheep's
clothing, and Eddie is a sheep in wolf's clothing - though the difference
wouldn't be immediately apparent. Someone Like You is a lesson in
judging character, about looking beneath outward appearances and
behavior.
The
movie starts with a quote: The heart has its reasons which reason
knows nothing of. ~ Pascal.
 As
each come to grips with the faulty reasoning of their hearts, Jane
finds love again by taking an honest look at herself, and Eddie
finds love again by choosing to trust and open himself up.
 The
question remains though: can the love between a man and a woman,
the most intimate of human relationships, meet all our needs? Can
it be our everything? Is there a greater love, one who will never
leave us? Something to think about for people like us.
|
