Film & TV

Film Review: New Years Eve

Running time: 118mins

Rating: M

Release date: 8 December 2011

New Years Eve follows the same "special occasion" rom-com recipe as Valentine's Day (2010), which funnily enough were both directed by Garry Marshall, and written by Katherine Fugate (The Prince And Me). The story intertwines a number of tales that occur over the course of one day, each having their unique situations. However the lacklustre script transforms them into being a little mundane.

Laura (Katherine Heigl) is a chef catering for a record label party where Jensen (Jon Bon Jovi), her ex-boyfriend, is performing and also trying to woo her back. In another story, Claire (Hilary Swank) is in charge of the Times Square party, making sure that the ball drops exactly on time. The record company is also where downtrodden PA Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer) has snapped and quit her job. Ingrid then enlists bike courier, Paul (Zac Efron) to help her complete her seemingly impossible list of New Years resolutions. Meanwhile, Jensen’s back up singer Elise (Lea Michele, from Glee) is stuck in a lift with NYE-hating, but laid back Randy (Ashton Kutcher).

Elsewhere, two pregnant couples (including Jessica Biel and Sarah Paulson) battle to be the first to give birth in the new year and win $25,000 in some kind of bizarre hospital baby bonus lottery. Teenage girl Hailey (Abigail Breslin) plays cat-and-mouse with her mum Kim (Sarah Jessica Parker) for the right to go to Times Square. Stan (Robert DeNiro), who refuses medical treatment, is dying in hospital with only a nurse, Aimee (Halle Berry) for company, and Sam (Josh Duhamel) is attempting to travel back to the city to meet up with a woman he let slip away last New Year’s Eve. There's also a number of minor cameos which don't exactly fit into the story, more to boost the already mammoth list of stars.

Whilst the dialogue is corny and a little slow, it does occasionally hits the comedic mark. The coupling of characters for the romantic climax makes for some surprises as well.

2.5 out of 5 stars

Review by Dave Nottage

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