(CF) "I chased after that job and loved it." That wouldn't have had anything to do with a certain nekky stand-in on his lap for a day would it? ;) (Ada) Hunh? Blue-eyed? I didn't know CF's brother was in this film :P

hey there. Anyone know which issue of RED magazine he is in? I just checked out May and no sign. I guess I must have missed it.

I heard it was the June issue, Kelli.

(Ada) Hunh? Blue-eyed? (Karen), Yeah, the same eyes that Daphne had. ;-) (Moon) LOL! What were they drinking at the Portobello Hotel? It wasn't just the blue eyed bit that confused me.... Blue-eyed, tousle-haired Firth plays yet another hopeless heart-throb I think I've missed a film (or two)...when was he 'tousle-haired' and 'hopeless'? Mark Darcy could be called hopeless...but not tousle haired. Me thinks they are talking about Hugh. It sounds like someone took HGs name out and added ODB's name. And in that mode, I really don't understand the comparisons. They are totally different IMO. I find reviewers who do this to be lacking some sense (all in MO of course). Their looks, acting styles....not even close. Imagine HG in P&P. Or Tumbledown. Or Conspiracy. Or LE. Or....

Their looks, acting styles....not even close. Imagine HG in P&P. Or Tumbledown. Or Conspiracy. Or LE. Or.... Remember HG in S&S. Not very memorable:-)

Thank for all the articles and reviews all, damnable work getting in the way of my drooling (and searching for kinder reviews!) ;-)) Looks like Colin will be interviewed tomorrow morning by Kate Garraway, hopefully someone can catch him... http://www.gmtv.co.uk/index.cfm?articleid=37

Thank you ladies for all the reviews of HS, the good and not so good as well. I'm still hopeful that we'll have a US release. Why didn't they release it here first? Sheesh. I really want to see this. (Beedee)Remember HG in S&S. Not very memorable:-) ...no, and HG can't even begin to hold a candle to CF in breeches. I thought he looked as though the period dress just swallowed him up. He looked half his size. IMO, of course:-)

(Tress) I think I've missed a film (or two)...when was he 'tousle-haired' and 'hopeless'? I think Paul in FP is the epitome of 'tousle-haired' and 'hopeless'. I suppose the same could apply in DQ and MOTM, too. (Belfast Telegraph) There his matchmaking landlady (Steenburgen) sets him up with local nurse Mandy (Graham), who is soon providing him with some tender loving care. (Coventry News) where matchmaking landlady Joanie (Mary Steenburgen) sets him up with "trained care-giver" Mandy (Heather Graham) and before you can say booze and nudity, they're a romantic item. (The Times) his improbably kind landlady (Mary Steenburgen, asks her friend, Mandy (Heather Graham), a carer for the elderly, to come around and try to heal him. Mandy does this by downing a bottle of whisky in one, babbling incoherently, stripping off her clothes, pulling Colin into bed The more reviews I read, the more it sounds like Joanie is the town pimp farming out Mandy to wayward (and depressed) travelers.

(Dorine) The more reviews I read, the more it sounds like Joanie is the town pimp farming out Mandy to wayward (and depressed) travelers. LOL Dorine! But if the wayward and depressed travelers look and sound like him, I would gladly let the pimp farm me out in his direction! ;-)

(Dorine) I think Paul in FP is the epitome of 'tousle-haired' and 'hopeless'. I suppose the same could apply in DQ and MOTM, too. You are right! Paul could be seen as hopeless. I just always thought Sarah was the 'hopeless' one in FP. Paul knew what he was and seemed quite comfortable in his 'hopelessness'. Definitely tousle haired though! (Dorine) The more reviews I read, the more it sounds like Joanie is the town pimp farming out Mandy to wayward (and depressed) travelers. Hey! How'se a girl supposed to get a date? ;-D

June issue of Red (Tress) It sounds like someone took HGs name out and added ODB's name. And in that mode, I really don't understand the comparisons...Imagine HG in P&P. Or Tumbledown. Or Conspiracy. Or LE. Or... It's a one-way comparison because Colin's most recent work appears to be following in Hugh's footsteps. You do rom-com, after comedy, after rom-com and are British and you *must* be a HG wannabee. It's an easy conclusion and fairly valid IMO. Colin hasn't done enough on the other side (drama, theater, etc.) to show he's an all-around talented actor, not like Hugh who can only do comedies. (Maria) Looks like Colin will be interviewed tomorrow morning by Kate Garraway Nope, I was fooled initially but that section is entitled "this week." Those are the highlights for the week, and Colin appeared on Tuesday.

My local paper has made my day! The Glasgow Evening Times has a 3 Page Spread on CF and HS in its Times Out Entertainment Guide. It includes a full page(tabloid size)head and shoulders pic of him, which looks to have been taken on the set, but I don't think is a still from the movie. - He looks simply wonderful! Pretty long article, with some comments by him I haven't read before. Followed by a small article on HG on the last page, accompanied by a 'Yoga Pic'.

(Janet) The Glasgow Evening Times has a 3 Page Spread on CF and HS in its Times Out Entertainment Guide. And it's available online. Fun for when I get home. If the link doesn't work, google on Glasgow Evening Times. http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/lo/extra/7007147.html

Colin Firth in an aesthetically delightful love triangle with Minnie Driver and Heather Graham. (Moon) Was she referring to the aesthetically pleasing orange colours? LOL! Well, I thought the film poster was pretty aesthetically pleasing. ;-) (Beedee) Remember HG in S&S. Not very memorable:-) Good point. Actually, though, that's an example of a role CF couldn't have played. Marianne never would have even noticed Willoughby - she just would have knocked Elinor to the ground in the mad scramble to nab Edward.

Thanks, Janet. What a thrill to open up your newspaper and see a huge Colin staring back at you. (ain't going to happen here unless Katie Couric leans on someone else) "I actually don't see it like that, although I have made attempts at transformation - quite wild attempts sometimes," he adds with a smile, "with greater or lesser success. I do find it quite a fun exercise, but it's not the principally interesting thing for me." No, it's been the paycheck. :-( "Actually," he says of his trans-Atlantic crossings, "I was nicknamed 'The Yank' for years when I first came back from America and then into my teens." The nickname came from the American accent and mannerisms he had acquired - "I was very feeble minded that way". Feeble minded????? And what happened to the accent? With Hope Springs still to be released *snort* ...springng eternal..Don't think this one is going to make a dent in his anonymity armor. ;-)

Telegraph review: Hope springs infernal when it comes to films starring Minnie Driver. All too often she comes across like a spoiled child bawling her eyes out because she's just dropped a lollipop on the floor, a flouncy prima donna kicking up a fuss upon learning that she can't have the restaurant table she wants. How odd, then, that her latest role is in a romantic comedy, a piece of miscasting on a par with asking Daniella Westbrook to play Celia Johnson's part in a remake of Brief Encounter. Hope Springs, directed by Marc Herman, is based on a novel by Charles Webb, writer of The Graduate, and stars Colin Firth as Colin Ware, an artist who flees England to go to Hope, Vermont, after he learns that his fiancee, Vera (Driver), is going to marry someone else. O lucky man, one might think, but he takes it all very badly and finds solace in drawing pictures of the local townsfolk. Their eccentricity extends to their high regard for his sketches, which, like all sketches in the movies, are comically poor. Ware, though emotionally constipated, finds that he is doted upon by Mandy, a "trained care-giver" played by Heather Graham. She likes her whisky, drives pell-mell through the local streets, and drops her clothes off within a day of meeting him. Not surprisingly, he begins to feel better. Then Vera rolls into town, turning her nose up at everybody and everything. Ware is meant to be torn between the two women, but Driver pouts and preens so melodramatically, it's hard to see why he was so upset at losing her in the first place. It's not much of a plot, and in many ways this is not much of a film. The characterisation is as skimpy as Vera's dresses, and the clunky soundtrack features a shockingly bad cover version of 10cc's I'm Not in Love. Some of the early scenes, especially those showing Ware freshly arrived in New England, may remind us of Brassed Off, Herman's superb film about ex-miners in the throes of social and mental breakdown. Such darkness is fleeting. And yet, despite everything, the film flickers by painlessly enough. Perhaps it's Ashley Rowe's russet photography; perhaps it's Colin Firth's pleasing drollery; maybe it's just the lovely summershine we've been enjoying these last few weeks - but Hope Springs is by no means as unwatchable as you might expect.

Not surprisingly, he begins to feel better. LOL This may be one of the best lines yet.

Thank you, Janet. A very nice interview by Mr. Dougan. (CF)"I was very feeble minded that way". What on earth does he mean by that? After seeking solace in the arms of local ditz Heather Graham... Or naked body double. Telegraph review, Thanks Mari but Hope Springs is by no means as unwatchable as you might expect. Lukewarm at least...better than some of the ice cold ones we read yesterday.

(lindak)Thank you, Janet. A very nice interview by Mr. Dougan. I liked it, too. - But where the hell did he get Gus Darcy from?

(Linda)What on earth does he mean by that? Relax, he's saying he was malleable. You need to read it in context as he talks about how his accent changed everywhere he moved. Blame it on poor paragraph breaks. Good article, Janet, one of the most informative ones from recent days. Barb, thanks for the link. He's savvy about the business, I'll give him that. He's absolutely right when he says of P&P: "It did well in the States," he agrees. "It broke records for that particular television company, but that doesn't get it on the map the way it did here. I don't think it became the talking point, there are so many options on television in America GD=Gloomy Gus Darcy Very tough to become a big fish in such a big pond. And he knows exactly how many weeks WAGW has been in the top 10.:-)

but it's not the principally interesting thing for me." (Karen)No, it's been the paycheck. :-( Hey, he's got 3 kids, and 3 houses in 3 countries, on 2 continents. You want "art"? :-(

closing tag

should be closed now!

(CF) "I was very feeble minded that way". (Linda) What on earth does he mean by that? LOL...I don't know, but I think I have something in common with ODB...I just can't quite figure out what it is! ;-) Thanks for all the reviews and links Mari, Evelyn, Janet, Barb and Maria! Hope I didn't miss anyone...my apologies if I did...just a bit feeble minded.

(CF)"I was very feeble minded that way". (Lindak)What on earth does he mean by that? When I was a kid growing up in California, I would visit my relatives in Boston for the summer( I thought it was an extension of Italy) It gave me great pleasure to be the outsider with an "accent" while I was there, and then when I would go home, I would affect the Boston accent(yes, yes, I know, years of therapy are in order..) so maybe he pretended to be more "Yank" then he possibly could be when he got back to England?? Maybe that is what he meant??Maybe I should go back in the corner and pretend my left hand is a purple muppet and is my very good friend??

Or maybe you should read my explanation.;-) These just get worse. The Independent's review: Mark Herman, a specialist in underdog comedy (Brassed Off, Little Voice, Purely Belter), now tries his hand at romantic comedy in Hope Springs, which from its title onwards inclines you to fear the worst. Colin Firth plays an uptight portrait artist who arrives in the New England town of Hope with a bad dose of jetlag and a bruised heart: his fianc�e Vera has just decided to get married to someone else. I wonder if it has ever been any other jilted lover's experience to book into a roadside hotel where the manageress (Mary Steenburgen) immediately decides to matchmake you with a sexy blonde "careworker" (Heather Graham) who within 15 minutes of arriving has shed her clothes and done a little dance for Colin? The film has been adapted from a novel by Charles Webb (who wrote The Graduate), and I can only assume that this seduction scene worked better on the page than it does on screen. With a sinking heart one realises that Herman has simply transplanted the shortcomings of Britcom � feeble writing, a reliance on farce, an air of desperate contrivance � into an American setting. Did he imagine that his script would undergo some wondrous alchemy in the process? I'm afraid the introduction of Minnie Driver as Colin's fianc�e doesn't improve things. She arrives in a cloud of cigarette smoke to try and drag him back to Blighty (her marriage announcement was only a stratagem to "jolt him into action") but her breezy metropolitan hauteur and that curious peanut-shaped face just don't cut it with Colin any more. I found myself feeling sorry for Driver, who by degrees has become one of the least popular actresses in the world. Taking on jobs like this won't help. As for Firth, his film career has never come close to matching his small-screen success, and that includes the pale reprise of his immortal Darcy for Bridget Jones's Diary. His natural mode is a certain lugubrious distraction, and his stiff-lipped wariness simply has no place in light comedy. Give the man his breeches and frock coat back � he's not just in the wrong country, he's in the wrong century

Sorry, Maria, didn't mean to be flippant. Clearly, I've read too many of these reviews. Was just thinking that the last time a CF big screen film got good reviews across the board was BJD--two years ago.:-( Wait 'til these critics see WAGW; can be thankful they never got to see L'Dumb.

Omigod. Hope Springs Peter Bradshaw Friday May 9, 2003 The Guardian A strange emotion creeps over the critic's heart on witnessing the worst film of the year. Watching this unspeakable romcom made me want to tumble off the red plush seats, curl up into a foetal ball and mew like a maltreated kitten. Colin Firth, in dishy/unsmiling mode, plays a British artist trying to forget an unhappy love affair with Vera (Minnie Driver), so he ups and travels to a small American town, a place he's picked out because of its name: Hope. The keynote of unbelievability and twee silliness is established right there. He begins an affair with Heather Graham who, with her gorgeous blonde loveliness is a care worker at an old folks' home. Yeah, right. Director Mark Herman is unsure whether Heather should be a dangerous wild child - so he has her chug half a bottle of brandy at the wheel of her beat-up car without ever doing anything similar ever again - or an adorably innocent child of nature, like Phoebe from Friends. She is supposed to have a touchy-feely therapeutic skill and at one stage takes all her clothes off for the pure, non-sexual joy of living, which segues into some romantic action. It is one of the most embarrassing, unconvincing scenes ever committed to celluloid. This film is very similar to the toe-curling Nine Months with Hugh Grant and Julianne Moore, in that you can see a flash of panic behind the actors' eyes at how misjudged and plain wrong it all is. Herman, who gave us decent films like Brassed Off, Purely Belter and Little Voice, has made one that sinks like a stone.

(Mari) Or maybe you should read my explanation.;-) LOL...but your quick like a ninja today (all those posts and articles)...and I am slow and feeble...didn't see that post until after I had submitted my comments. ;-) Give the man his breeches and frock coat back � he's not just in the wrong country, he's in the wrong century. Ouch! The Independent is a big deal, isn't it? Not good. Still, I will see ODB in his stiff-lipped wariness and love him all the same (as long as Mr. Binder isn't involved or something equally horrid, I'm good to go).

I'm starting to wish BVI had left HS on some dusty shelf. In any case I shall have Episode 6 ready to pop in when I return from seeing it. If it ever crosses the pond. The Independent always goes for the jugular. Depressing...but you must admit, not as bad as SLOW. "As for Firth, his film career has never come close to matching his small-screen success,.." Have to agree with this one. (mari) Wait 'til these critics see WAGW; I hope he's out of the country.

Give the man his breeches and frock coat back � This would set me up quite nicely. I may be alone, but I agree. he's not just in the wrong country, he's in the wrong century LOL! Me too! Thanks you for the reviews, ladies. Now I'm off to read the interview.

Oh my! What I've missed! A gold mine or stinking mackerel in the moonlight? :-( The Telegraph's only nice words included Colin: Perhaps it's Ashley Rowe's russet photography; perhaps it's Colin Firth's pleasing drollery; maybe it's just the lovely summershine we've been enjoying these last few weeks - but Hope Springs is by no means as unwatchable as you might expect. They hated MD, HG, the plot, and the director, but liked Colin. (must hang on to crumbs) (Independent) With a sinking heart one realises that Herman has simply transplanted the shortcomings of Britcom - feeble writing, a reliance on farce, an air of desperate contrivance - into an American setting. Did he imagine that his script would undergo some wondrous alchemy in the process? Very pointed and shows Herman didn't understand why The Graduate worked. (Mari) He's absolutely right when he says of P&P And about 24. ;-) [the fourth to the last episode is unbelievable!] I'm sure I'll sleep like a baby tonight. :-(

(Karen) shows Herman didn't understand why The Graduate worked. Perhaps because The Graduate was a better story, too? ;-) Thanks, Mari and Janet and Barb for all the articles. Despite the negative, and at times nasty reviews, I've actually found a great deal amusing in them, too. For example: I found myself feeling sorry for Driver, who by degrees has become one of the least popular actresses in the world. Hope springs infernal when it comes to films starring Minnie Driver. the leading man, spends the entire movie looking paralysed, as if he�s just been fatally bitten by the Bad Script spider (Evelyn) The bad news: X2:X Men opened last weekend to 7M UKP ($11.5M) in 449 sites:-(( But maybe the gals will bolt for HS:-)) That would be a hard one to call for me actually. (Tress) Paul could be seen as hopeless. I just always thought Sarah was the 'hopeless' one in FP Oh gawd! They both were. And desperate. That's why I am not overly enamored of them (especially her) or the movie. (Dorine) The more reviews I read, the more it sounds like Joanie is the town pimp farming out Mandy to wayward (and depressed) travelers. (Tress) Hey! How'se a girl supposed to get a date? ;-D Maybe RZ should look into this then. ;-D

Thank you for all the interviews and articles. I know, I haven't been able to contribute anything, so I found this little review. I don't remember seeing it postet. If so, I apologize: http://news.scotsman.com/archive.cfm?id=523802003 I think much of it sounds familiar, so it has probably been postet before.

The Mirror's review: HOPE SPRINGS May 9 2003 Cert: 12A, 92 mins I'VE hated Colin Firth for many years. My last three girlfriends - and now my wife - have all been totally in love with him. And, frankly, I'm so sick of it that I've decided I want to be him. But not the Colin Firth who appears in Hope Springs, a romantic comedy that is neither romantic nor funny. Those clever people at Touchstone Pictures were quite right to spot Mr Firth's potential as a heartthrob male lead. Trust me, I know from painful personal experience that women fancy this guy far more than they do Hugh Grant. Apart from Colin's unreasonable good looks, it's the voice that kills 'em. Deep, resonant and impeccable... but also devoid of all pomposity. As his legendary turn as Darcy in TV's classic Pride And Prejudice series amply demonstrated, Firth has the added advantage of being a superb actor. Mark my words, given the right film this British superstar-in-the-making is going to take Hollywood by storm. Unfortunately, Hope Springs - as dire as it is derivative - is not going to do it for him. No cliche is knowingly avoided in this abysmal attempt to cash in on a genre that, when undertaken with panache, brings in box-office money like you wouldn't believe. Here's the "story", such as it is. English artist Colin Ware (Firth) is so distraught that his fiancee has decided to marry another man that he hops on a plane and makes his way to the town of Hope in the American state of Vermont. He likes the name, you see. Despite his amorous misfortunes, perhaps there is still hope. And where better to find that than, er, Hope! Who wouldn't do the same thing? If anyone involved in this nonsensical dustbin of a movie is reading this review, why didn't it occur to you that the central proposition here is absurd. Within hours of arriving in Hope - which naturally turns out to be so charming that Norman Rockwell would have struggled to do it justice - the visiting Brit has persuaded the entire population to pose for his rather mundane-looking charcoal sketches. And, what a stroke of luck, the best looking girl in town, Mandy (Heather Graham) turns up in Colin's hotel room ready to heal his emotional wounds. Then she strips naked. Because, in the most innocent of ways, she loves the naturalness of shedding her clothes. Undaunted by Mandy's somewhat naive manner, Colin screws her. About 10 minutes later, this newly acquainted couple agree that they are wonderfully in love. But then disaster strikes in the shapely form of Colin's two-timing ex Vera (Minnie Driver) who, having tracked him down, arrives in Hope to destroy everyone's happiness. The whole "other man" thing was a story she'd invented to make Col jealous. Now she wants him back, so let the tug of love begin. God, give me strength. Anyway, the trouble with Vera is that she is a sophisticated Londoner who works for one of those snobbish society magazines. She also smokes like a chimney and clearly looks down on the hard-working, decent, simple Americans among whom she finds herself. Therefore we hate her. And we just love lovely Mandy - an honest little Vermont girl who has a really wonderful relationship with all the eccentric but likeable geriatrics she looks after at the local old people's home. By the time this cinematic dirge limps to its entirely predictable conclusion, poor Ms Graham is drowning in the oceans of cuteness that the producers mistakenly decided she needed. There are a couple of OK jokes. Most of the allegedly comic moments revolve around the cultural chasm between us and our allies across the Atlantic. As scheming, self-obsessed Mayor Reed, Oliver Platt provides an oasis of humour in an otherwise laugh-free wasteland. Firth does his level best with a script that should have been put to death before the ink dried. And waddling around on five-inch stilettos while trying to prove that posh Brits are horrible, Ms Driver delivers a performance which fails to mask her understandable embarrassment. Hope may well spring eternal. But this hopeless exercise came close to robbing me of the will to live.

(Karen) shows Herman didn't understand why The Graduate worked. (Dorine), Perhaps because The Graduate was a better story, too? ;-) A much better story. HS has no tension, it's filled with clich�s and a very predictable ending. :-( If anyone involved in this nonsensical dustbin of a movie is reading this review, why didn't it occur to you that the central proposition here is absurd. Firth does his level best with a script that should have been put to death before the ink dried. Ding dong! Poor Colin this is his baby. And I'm not holding my breath for Trauma, either. Give the man his breeches and frock coat back! ;-) Undaunted by Mandy's somewhat naive manner, Colin screws her. About 10 minutes later, this newly acquainted couple agree that they are wonderfully in love. ROTFLOL! Thanks, Mari! Now, I'm beginning to wonder at Colin's comment about Scarlet J.'s future as a director. Did she save the day for GWAPE with her suggestions?

OK. So it seems like very few of the UK film critics like HS. Big deal! I thought it was an enjoyable, quirky little romantic comedy, with good performances all round (well, with one exception) and CF looks AFG. Wait and judge for yourselves. I think it will do OK at the box office. I'm off for my third viewing tonight!

(The Mirror)Apart from Colin's unreasonable good looks, it's the voice that kills 'em. Deep, resonant and impeccable... but also devoid of all pomposity. As his legendary turn as Darcy in TV's classic Pride And Prejudice series amply demonstrated, Firth has the added advantage of being a superb actor. I couldn't aggree more. Allthough the review isn't good (to say the least) I like the "tone" of the article. He surely has been forced to see BJD with some of his "women":-) Thank you, Mari!

(Janet)I'm off for my third viewing tonight! You go girl!

(from the mirror, via mari)"Undaunted by Mandy's somewhat naive manner, Colin screws her." yar yar yar laughed so loud at that one i almost fell off my chair and woke up the neigbors... this is by far my favorite line so far. BTW have you noticed that one tends to get beyond the 'ouch' stage after a couple of bad ones and start to actually enjoy them ? thanks to all of you for posting the reviews, it was... interesting, not to mention hugely entertaining (how many different ways can you say 'turkey' ?) yar yar yar

I'm waiting to see the millions of CF fans in the UK flocking to see this film. Unlike their support of FP,SLOW ,RV, MLSF,... Did I miss any?

(Karen) shows Herman didn't understand why The Graduate worked. (Dorine) Perhaps because The Graduate was a better story, too? ;-) I rewatched The Graduate a couple of weeks ago, given that I hadn't seen it in jillions of years. I wanted to be able to spot any of the homage bits Herman mentioned. Anyway, I think you need to reserve judgment because the plot of The Graduate is similarly slight, fairly similar and disbelievable from a plot standpoint: Benjamin takes Elaine out once, is barred from dating her, she is whisked away, he follows, she's going to marry someone else and he loves her so much that he follows her and steals her away from the church. I think what you have here is a case of more talented screenwriters and a director who took a slight bit of fiction and turned it into a social commentary. The Graduate isn't known as a love story, and I'd bet the novella is pretty lightweight like NC. Maybe I'll go looking for it. (Sophie) BTW have you noticed that one tends to get beyond the 'ouch' stage after a couple of bad ones and start to actually enjoy them? Knew you had the right stuff. ;-) ...but there's a nagging pain underlying the amusement when you realize he dumped Hamlet to do this movie. There are gems in this Mirror review, which any halfwit studio could use to sell this film: "women fancy this guy far more than they do Hugh Grant...superb actor...British superstar-in-the-making...going to take Hollywood by storm" (The Mirror)

(Evelyn) I'm waiting to see the millions of CF fans in the UK flocking to see this film. Unlike their support of FP,SLOW ,RV, MLSF,... Did I miss any? Ouch! ;-) (Karen) The Graduate isn't known as a love story, and I'd bet the novella is pretty lightweight like NC. Maybe I'll go looking for it. You and me both. My curiosity is piqued. I "liked" this Mirror review as well. Trust me, I know from painful personal experience that women fancy this guy far more than they do Hugh Grant Unfortunately, that sentiment isn't bringing in Hugh's box office. :-( Better projects would help. Anyone wanting a Colin sighting might find him at his local pub this weekend slinging back a line of pints if people listen to the critics. :-( I'd be first in line to console him, as I am indeed, a trained caregiver. ;-)

The Sun's review: WHEN British artist Colin Ware (Colin Firth) gets an invitation to the wedding of his lover Vera (Minnie Driver), he is consumed by grief and jets off to a remote town in Vermont called Hope. Arriving suffering from lack of sleep, he checks into the Battefield Inn whose owner Joanie (the excellent Mary Steenburgen) looks after him and puts him in touch with local �care-giver� Mandy (Heather Graham). The two soon fall in love, Colin builds up a portfolio of local people for an exhibition back in London and, frankly, his whole future is looking very rosy. Rosy, that is, until the arrival of the glacial Vera, who tells him the wedding invitation was a stunt to get him back because she wants him to propose. Cue loads of to-ing and fro-ing, misunderstandings, proclamations of love, then separation and the inevitable marriage proposal. There are a couple of funny moments and it�s not irritating, but for romantic comedies like this to grab you, the makers have got to get the audience rooting for the hero to overcome all obstacles and sweep his true love off her feet. The more we care, the better the rom-com ... but this never really gets you rooting for Colin.

(Sun) The more we care, the better the rom-com ... but this never really gets you rooting for Colin. We're here, always rooting for him!! And this one says it is'nt unwatchable but is irritating...ah well... Two out of Five stars Running time: 92 mins Not exactly unwatchable but an irritating romantic comedy, largely due to the character played by Heather Graham. Hope Springs looks nice, but its plot is confused and it�s often infuriating where it ought to be funny. It also makes the mistake of casting Heather Graham. Colin Firth plays Colin (presumably so Heather Graham didn't have to learn two names), a depressed British artist who decamps to the town of Hope (Smalltown USA) in the hopes of forgetting about his ex-fiance� Vera (Minnie Driver), who has subtly dumped him by sending him an invite to her wedding. To someone else. Colin Flees To America He holes up in Mary Steenburgen's motel-lodge thing and she feels his pain and sends over her 'care worker' friend Mandy (Heather Graham), who offers to show him around. But, when she drives him to a local beauty spot, she suddenly necks half a bottle of Schnapps, gets instantly drunk and starts flirting, throwing things and generally behaving like some sort of dangerous freak. And does she act this way again throughout the entire movie? No, she doesn't. Although, she also takes all her clothes off and dances around his motel room "because she's a free spirit". Anyway, Colin decides he's going to do charcoal portraits of the weird-looking townsfolk and one shiny, happy montage later, he falls in love with Mandy and they�re going at it like rabbits. At which point, Vera turns up and tells him that the invitation was just "a joke", meant to spur him into setting a date for their wedding. D'oh! Triumph Through Pain�Sort Of Sadly, the movie doesn't want Colin to end up with Minnie and that's its main problem. It would have been much better if he'd had to find some way of dumping Psycho Heather and winning back Minnie, but no. So it turns into one of those awful movies where someone has to get hurt in order for the two leads to get together. In order to do that, they try and make Minnie�s character as horrible as possible but it fails dismally. Firth can do uptight Brits in his sleep and he does his best here. Unfortunately, you just can�t see him falling for Heather Graham, who is, frankly, awful. Driver, however, is excellent and is probably the best thing about the film. About the only other thing it's got going for it is Frank Collison, as Fisher, Steenburgen�s unusual-looking husband. And Oliver Platt, who steals all his scenes, though he isn't in it enough � there also seems to be a scene missing, since we�re later asked to believe that he falls for Vera. In short, Hope Springs starts well and looks good, but quickly becomes very annoying. It�s not unwatchable, but if you�re after a half-decent romcom, you�re better off with How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days. http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/review_1581.html

The Guardian translates each review into a comparable ratings system: The Telegraph: 4/10 Independent: 2/10 Guardian: 2/10 The Times: 2/10 The Express: 4/10 The Mirror: 3/10 The Sun: 5/10 (the above was given a 2-1/2 paw rating by the writer) Nothing in yet from The Daily Mail.

Thanks, Maria. There's a link at the bottom to that site's "interview" with Colin. All the same questions we've read before (definitely a group session and not one-on-one) with a few added comments to flesh out the answers: http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/home_feat_int_colinfirth.asp

Couple of new images too:

Awwwww, Mandy want a flower? (Karen), I think what you have here is a case of more talented screenwriters and a director who took a slight bit of fiction and turned it into a social commentary. The Graduate isn't known as a love story, and I'd bet the novella is pretty lightweight like NC. There are several scenes in the Graduate which are not slight or light, as seems to be the case with HS. The View London reviewer had a point when he states: It would have been much better if he'd had to find some way of dumping Psycho Heather and winning back Minnie, but no. (Karen), There are gems in this Mirror review, which any halfwit studio could use to sell this film: "women fancy this guy far more than they do Hugh Grant...superb actor...British superstar-in-the-making...going to take Hollywood by storm" (The Mirror) Does this mean you will slepp better tonight? ;-) Thanks, Karen and Maria!

On my search for positive reviews, I found these. Only thing wrong, I couldn't find any positive ones, so you'll have to settle with these "bad": http://www.movie-gazette.com/cinereviews/review.asp?id=36 http://online.entertainmentireland.ie/online/cinema/review.asp?numero=2681&dontgo=0 http://www.teletext.com/entertainment/generic.asp?slot=61&updated=2003-05-09%2012:45:37 http://www.campus.ie/user?cmd=item-detail&itemid=9266

I came across this, and I just had to post it (I hope, you read this, Karen ;-)) HOPE SPRINGS WRITER: Mark Herman DIRECTOR: Mark Herman CAST: Colin Firth, Minnie Driver If a film pairing John Corbett and Nia Vardalos can be the highest grossing romantic comedy of all time, I guess there's hope for the pairing of Colin Firth and Minnie Driver. Director Herman also made Blame it on the Bellboy and Little Voice, so it's about time for him to make a good film. http://www.filmscoremonthly.com/articles/2003/06_Feb---This_Years_Movies_Part_Two.asp

Thank you so much everyone for all the hard work. Reviews, good and not so good. General concensus IMO seems to be the ladies don't step up to the mark, but as usual Colin shines through doing the best with what he has to work with. Still hoping we get to see it here. Fingers crossed. Thanks again everyone.

Thanks, Annette, for the links. Movie Gazette's isn't that bad (6/10): "Hope Springs is a charming film which mixes English and American humour neatly together in a town where everybody knows everyone else's business. The ending is very satisfactory, but extremely predictable, and leaves no character that unhappy at the film's close." "Pure escapism and joy for it's audience, and makes the world seem a better place!" Teletext gave it 3 stars and had many nice things to say about Colin. I suppose if some people would like to cling to some hopeful thoughts, remember there's a long list of films that have bombed or went nowhere in the UK and were subsequently huge hits in the US. Definitely a hope springs eternal kind of thing... ;-)

(viewlondon review) Colin Firth plays Colin (presumably so Heather Graham didn't have to learn two names) LOL This quote may put me over and I may become inspired to begin the Dorothy Parker Memorial Collection of the Best of Colin's Worst. I wonder, is there possibly more of a tendency to a critical review because it is so much more fun to write?

So much to comment on and so little time! thanks everyone for posting the "Direfest" on HS. (Janet) ...an enjoyable quirky little romantic comedy with good performances all round (well with one exception). CF looks AFG " Yup Janet, think you're onto the truth now :-)) I'd also throw in my vote for the gorgeousness of the scenery. Give me AFG against a backdrop of (wet) sugar maples anytime! Mmmmmm. Enjoy that third viewing.

(Karen)I suppose if some people would like to cling to some hopeful thoughts As the eternal optimist, I'll cling :-) A little article, rather inaccurate data, but nevertheless: http://www.guardian.co.uk/parents/story/0,3605,950590,00.html (Barb S)I wonder, is there possibly more of a tendency to a critical review because it is so much more fun to write? I think, you may have hit upon something there ;-)

You know the activity on this board has been overwhelming when articles have been reposted. :-( I like the more complete version of the Q&A session at the Dorchester from the View London site you found, Maria. I'm going to dump Empire's abbreviated version for this one, which includes: Can I ask you about the undressing scenes? I thought the bouncing on the bed dance sequence was very discreetly filmed and I wondered whether that was in order to get a specific rating or whether it was at the actress's request? Mark: The latter. In (Heather Graham)'s last two or three films she didn't seem to have any problems with that part of the contract but suddenly on ours she did. It actually caused a nightmare to shoot and she turned up on set with nipple plasters and so on. But at the end of the day, if she had taken everything off, we still would have had to cut it out - it just meant that the filming of the scene took much longer. Colin: You know, you do find though that actresses spend half their lives with people lobbying to take their clothes off and then they finally do it and they get crap for it for years. I mean people still hit Glenda Jackson with it now, still. I do think that if you do it once, no-one lets you forget it. Mark: One of the ironies of the whole thing was that because of the way we had to shoot it, it meant that we had to do a re-shoot over here with a stand-in actress who basically had to sit in Colin's lap with her clothes off the entire afternoon. Colin: I'm over it now. Well, the reason we had to re-shoot that scene was because the studio thought it was too naughty. This is a scene where we'd managed to get absolutely no nudity and no sexual activity whatsoever and the studio came through and said 'No, this is too dirty - you're going to have to make a less dirty moment there'.

I'm sorry to have made a mess again :-( I thought I had checked for previous postings, but apparently I hadn't been thorough enough. In order to make a little use of this posting, having taken up one, I'll just repeat my thanks to all of you, who managed to find "the good stuff".

No need to apologize, please! You find so much other great material.

(Barb), I may become inspired to begin the Dorothy Parker Memorial Collection of the Best of Colin's Worst. I'm cheering you on as you do have lots of material to work with. ;-D (Karen), I suppose if some people would like to cling to some hopeful thoughts, remember there's a long list of films that have bombed or went nowhere in the UK and were subsequently huge hits in the US. So maybe it will come to the States? :-) (Colin),This is a scene where we'd managed to get absolutely no nudity and no sexual activity whatsoever and the studio came through and said 'No, this is too dirty - you're going to have to make a less dirty moment there'. It sounds as if he was with this project all the way. I wonder if he went to the studio to lobby for it first? What is View London exactly? A weekly? Is it well read? Thank you again ladies for your articles.

(Janet)Wait and judge for yourselves. I think it will do OK at the box office. I'm off for my third viewing tonight! I'm counting on you, Janet, to hold up the box office numbers until I can do my part(please Gawd) here in the states:-) Glad you are enjoying it. Thanks to everyone for the articles, reviews and interviews. As far as the really bad reviews... I do think people like to jump in the fray and continue to pile it on. However, I really wish someone other than HG had played Mandy...may have make a bit of difference. But the critics who liked it seemed to have put it in rom-com perspective. Yeah, it could have been better, but a sweet film, whimsical. Makes me laugh, and cringe as well to hear that LMG movie is the best family film of the year??? Excuse, me? By the same critics who didn't like WAGW...Go figure?

(Moondreams)Awwwww, Mandy want a flower? **Spoiler ahead for those of you who haven't read the book. It's a ring.

Apart from Colin's unreasonable good looks, it's the voice that kills 'em. It causes vibrations. ;-) Mark my words, given the right film this British superstar-in-the-making is going to take Hollywood by storm. Superstar-in-the-making...we have heard this for a very long time. I don't know if ODB wants to 'take Hollywood by storm', but it would be really nice to see him in a film that the critics didn't just blast from the moment it left the gate. Undaunted by Mandy's somewhat naive manner, Colin screws her. LOL...I love it when they get right to the point. Colin Firth plays Colin (presumably so Heather Graham didn't have to learn two names) ROTFLMAO! This is great stuff. I tend to agree. I think critics like writing bad reviews more than good ones. And rom-coms tend to give them so much fodder! Okay, so if not Heather, who would have been the natural choice for the role of Mandy? Does anyone have someone they would have liked to have seen in the role? ...and one shiny, happy montage later, he falls in love with Mandy and they�re going at it like rabbits. Happy thought indeed! (Barb) This quote may put me over and I may become inspired to begin the Dorothy Parker Memorial Collection of the Best of Colin's Worst. LOL! Good idea! I'm a big fan of DP and it seems that many of the UK critics are as well! Thank you Annette, Mari, Maria and Karen for all the articles and reviews. I refuse to be depressed by the negativity. I still want to see this one.

Daily Mail Verdict: The heart sinks. Rating 0/5 Here is yet another romantic comedy that celebrates Britain�s special relationship with America. And here�s Colin Firth as a charmingly floppy Englishman on the rebound from a supercilious bitch of an English girlfriend (Minnie Driver). The jilted man rebuilds his injured psyche in a little town called Hope in New England, where he falls for a simple American girl (Heather Graham) who cares for aging people so obligingly that she falls into bed with him on their first date. Whereupon, naturally, his ex-fianc�e comes to town and stops at nothing to win him back. I usually have high hopes of writer-director Mark Herman, who made the watchable Brassed Off and Little Voice; but this is a throwback to his highly contrived first effort, Blame It On The Bellboy. If it contains a single truthful, realistic or moving moment, I missed it. Colin Firth seems distraught at his own ineptitude when playing physical slapstick, then appears in a state of deep dejection about the script, and ends up giving a bad imitation of Hugh Grant flailing about in his own stateside turkey, Nine Months. An even sadder performance is given by Minnie Driver, a lovely, talented and intelligent actress whose career choices are starting to look desperate. It�s time to be brutally frank: excessive dieting now means that her head looks too big for her body. She allows herself to go way over the top in pursuit of laughs that never come. But she�s not alone. Even normally reliable performers such as Oliver Platt (as the local mayor) and Mary Steenburgen (as a motel proprietor) resort to mugging. Heather Graham attempts to be interestingly vivacious, but comes across instead as tediously vacuous. When the plot requires her abruptly to change character and act jealous, as though in some play by Strindberg, she is simply embarrassing. �18,459 people live in Hope� says a placard towards the start of this film. By the end of this movie I was existing in a state of acute boredom and exasperation. Crawl through a cage of rats with waffles on your head rather than see this.

TV Times: Rating 2/5 Although an attractive trio of stars in Heather Graham, Colin Firth and Minnie Driver all have their moments, none succeeds in breathing life into this sticky, soppy and soon-enough-deadly romantic comedy. Firth�s an artist who flies to America, devastated that his long-time fianc�e (Driver) is marrying another. But he soon forgets her when he meets up with the free spirit Graham, an old people�s carer in Hope, Vermont, where Firth has ended up. Like Firth�s charcoal portraits, supporting characters are drawn along the broadest of lines. Harmless, but very forgettable, this one just doesn�t have the necessary spark.

(CF)"I'll do Bridget Jones 2 if it's a good script." Now really who is he kidding. After the last two lame scripts he's just done? Puhleeze.If they pay him, he's there.It's Renee and Hugh who can be choosey. I think we can all safely say: (In a chorus now) 1. We are all rooting for Colin. 2. Regardless of the bad reviews, we shall all go see HS a jillion times,discuss it ,buy the soundtrack and the DVD. If there is anyone who disagrees with the above, let's hear it now. If not.......

(Daily Mail) It�s time to be brutally frank: excessive dieting now means that her head looks too big for her body. They think she has become one of the lollipop people (stick body with big, round head a la Calista)! Crawl through a cage of rats with waffles on your head rather than see this. It think I just saw someone do that on Fear Factor... Thanks Aishling...I think! ;-D

(Barb)LOL This quote may put me over and I may become inspired to begin the Dorothy Parker Memorial Collection of the Best of Colin's Worst. I wonder, is there possibly more of a tendency to a critical review because it is so much more fun to write? What Fresh Hell is This?...........;-)

Thanks for typing those out, Aishling. Isn't the Daily Mail the paper that everyone reads? hooboy. Right on, Evelyn. I think he needs a manager--someone to guide his career, as opposed to just an agent, who merely cuts the deal. His current calamitous coterie of career cognoscenti--comprising his wife and Nick Hornby--just ain't cuttin' it. (The Colonial Strumpet is feeling alliterative today.;-) If the reviews here would be as bad as these, it would be better for Colin if it wasn't released stateside.

Mri, such words of wisdom. :-( (D Mail),If it contains a single truthful, realistic or moving moment, I missed it. This is actually a very positive IMO. I am fed-up with those British trailer trash "realistic" films. (Linda),Okay, so if not Heather, who would have been the natural choice for the role of Mandy? Does anyone have someone they would have liked to have seen in the role? I thought HG would be perfect. She fits the description in the book very well. I blame the director, starting from his script for the HS mess. (Evelyn), buy the soundtrack Not unless I like it. I did not buy the one from WAGW. Thanks, Aishling!

(Barb), I may become inspired to begin the Dorothy Parker Memorial Collection of the Best of Colin's Worst. ROTF, Barb! I'll book us a table (round) at the Algonquin.:-) Colin: You know, you do find though that actresses spend half their lives with people lobbying to take their clothes off and then they finally do it and they get crap for it for years. I mean people still hit Glenda Jackson with it now, still. I do think that if you do it once, no-one lets you forget it. Thanks for this interview, Maria. I have to give Colin major props here--he is *always* a gentleman. IMO, it was very indiscreet and disrespectful for the director to whine about HG not wanting to go completely topless. CF is saying, wait a minute, I can see her point of view and understand why she wants to not keep doing that. How many male actors show us their privates?? Except for Rafe and a couple of others (God love 'em!), very very few. Can you imagine a female director complaining to the press, "yeah, well, he's shown his cock before but suddenly for us he wouldn't do it and it, so he wore a sock on it, and it made it hard to film." Would never happen! The pig.

This has to be quick as my son is hogging the computer. The reviews are dreadful. But I actually did something today that I've never done before. I saw the Daily Mail review (could it be worse?) and to put an end to the suspense/misery, I actually went alone to a 4.00 pm screening, and I have to report that I enjoyed it! The critics are way out of line on this, and quite unnecessarily are destroying a pleasant whimsical slightly understated movie which looks good, and with the exception of HG, is well acted. I'm fairly critical...the last movie I saw, I walked out after 10 minutes. HS *is* okay, ...the early critics...BBC, Film 4 were more accurate. Can't understand this massacre...unless they don't appreciate its slightly offkey, slow-ish quality (as in the book..it's not really real) HS should have been promoted on the strength of early reviews, and the Brassed Off/Little Voice/Graduate connection. But there have been no ads in the papers, and today's reviews, well, what can you say ..I think the critics must enjoy giving bad reviews! :-(

(Tress)Crawl through a cage of rats with waffles on your head rather than see this. It think I just saw someone do that on Fear Factor... LOL Tress! Yum waffles. Strawberries are coming into season you know. A bit hungry just now.(Can you tell?) I think I might start practicing balancing one on my head on the way to the multiplex this weekend. It would have to be a belgian those little toaster popups wouldn't do. And a dab of whipped cream. And WAGW is still here... but I digress. (Bethan)I think the critics must enjoy giving bad reviews! (LOL) To quote HD. I don't think they give a flying f**t in space about romcoms.

Ok my contribution to the "Direfest" from a local listings Arts magazine. (and to think i could be watching it again instead of tying this up:-)) "Hopeless Culture Clash Rom com" Hope sunk. Spirit sapped. Will to live exhausted. Just ten minutes into Brtplodder Mark Herman's insultingly calculated transatlanticromcom, this reviewer was alreadyprepared to forgive the perpetrators of "How to lose a guy....". Yes it's that awful. The UK production credit hides the fact that HS appears to have beenwritten by disney owned BUena Vista marketing department in an evil alliance with their audience research hellspawn. Such is the pall of underachievement hanging this pitiful project, that you can almost hear its producer bellow "WHaddya meanthe guy with the stutter and the floppy hair is unavilable?" "Well get me the other Limey toff from "BJD". You know the one who always looks slighty cross.He's probably cheaper and he can do anal and repressed just as well. The geeks in demographics say the chicks love him too..." Colin Firth, for it is indeed he, does the time honoured "Uptight Brit abroad2 routine with no evident enthusiasm. (Plot synopsis etc etc ) The golden rule of rubbish romcoms is that the supporting cast is made up of excellent characters whom you yearn to see more of than bland leads. So it proves here with Oliver Platt's venal mayor getting the most laughs and the fewest scenes.Unwilling partners who doze thro'the light culture clash japes and inevitable montage of the mismatched couple romping around to a rubbish pop song should be reassured that they won't miss anythoing they haven't endured a thousand times before." 1 out of 5 God these guys must spend hours piecing little bits together from all the reviews instead of going to see it themselves! well it wasn't written by a woman! (Barbara from hell's twin brother?;_))

Bingo Bethan:-) Glad you enjoyed it, ravishing foliage and all. I don't understand the massacre either, but what the hell, it's playing here 10.20am Saturday and Sunday, time to give my favourite "Limey Toff" another whirl.... and now I know when MD is on I can pop to the loo instead;-0 BTW Lovely b/w ad of the movie poster in the Guardian. ODB's smile is to die for. Anyone spotted one elsewhere yet?

(Lizza) God these guys must spend hours piecing little bits together from all the reviews instead of going to see it themselves! Well it wasn't written by a woman! (Barbara from hell's twin brother?;_)) You can almost hear their egoistic delight in their own "witty" expressions that they use to trash yet another flick. You get tired of reading these so-called criticisms which are only celebrations of how clever the "critic" is in developing negative, down-and-dirty phraseology. It only amounts to a contest with himself [and other critics] to see how much further can he get downer and dirtier than last time (sort of like a f**ting contest among the good ol' boys). How sad that true wit has long since been abandoned. When Dorothy Parker used to express her mis approbation, it would come out something like: ."This wasn't just plain terrible, this was fancy terrible. This was terrible with raisins in it." Dorothy Parker ...now *that's* witty!

Just when we thought it couldn't get any worse.... Yes it's that awful. The UK production credit hides the fact that HS appears to have beenwritten by disney owned BUena Vista marketing department in an evil alliance with their audience research hellspawn. ROTF! I'm sorry Colin. I truly don't think any of this is funny. But you know how people laugh at funerals or at times of extreme emotional distress as a manifestation of the underlying pain? The saddest thing is, while people seem to be enjoying it, as I suspect I will, I suspect the critics aren't too far off the mark on many points. Would I enjoy it as much on it's own without Colin? Who knows? At the rate it's going, I may be too old and blind to see it by the time it gets here. I was amused by the trailer though, so there's Hope! It seems the degree of my laughter has become directly proportional to the increasing vitriol in each successive review. :-(

(Moon) I did not buy the one from WAGW. I did & am enjoying it except that the slugs didn?t include ?Get Offa...? The DVD....hmmmm. will have to think about it. Might be a renter when we discuss it;-) (Barb), I may become inspired to begin the Dorothy Parker Memorial Collection of the Best of Colin's Worst. And I might be inspired to give HS the Second Pennis Award. Will have to wait to see it. Sounds like a viable candidate. Daily Mail 0/5 ...ouch. (Mari)it was very indiscreet and disrespectful for the director to whine about HG not wanting to go completely topless. That?s all this director does...whine...the weather was rainy, the lead actress wouldn?t cooperate, the town was inhospitable.....Sounds defensive to me for putting out a shoddy product. (Bethan) I'm fairly critical...the last movie I saw, I walked out after 10 minutes. Sure, Right.Aw c'mon Bethan...which Colin movie was that? LOL.I bet it was a RF movie;-) (Bethan)HS should have been promoted on the strength of early reviews, Actually THR review was OK. Was that posted? http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hollywoodreporter/reviews/article_display.jsp?vnu_co ntent_id=1857735 Screened at the Bradford FF. ?LONDON -- All of the elements are in place for the romantic comedy "Hope Springs":an attractive and talented cast, witty script, nice direction and glorious locations. But somehow t can't make the leap from an enjoyable light film to a movie to remember. Box office looks to be moderate, but expect a longer life in the DVD/video marketplace. The film premiered at England's Bradford Film Festival and gets a U.K. release in early May.? ..?Colin Ware (played with real charm by Colin Firth)? Calls it a light endearing film In the light of the British press, this one is stellar. I too feel sorry for Colin. He missed again. .....99% of reviewers can't be wrong, folks. We're a wee bit biased, you know. Would I go to see it if Colin wasn't in it. Hell no.

(Apologize for the odd punctuation. Yapp hates Works.) This is the correct URL for The Hollywood Reporter review. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hollywoodreporter/reviews/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1857735

.....99% of reviewers can't be wrong, folks. We're a wee bit biased, you know. I think they can...there's a fair bit of bias in the British press! The BBC review was the first HS review that I read. Apologies, Karen, for repeating (some of) it, but I think it's much fairer than the Daily Mail review which gave HS a "turkey" rating (no stars). "Hope Springs" (3 stars) tells of an English illustrator called Colin (Colin Firth) who - heartbroken at being dumped by his fianc�e Vera (Minnie Driver) - heads to America to start again. Colin's matchmaking landlady Joanie (Mary Steenburgen) ..... Vera arrives requesting a reconciliation, he is forced to make a difficult decision. It's a dilemma most warm-blooded men would kill to face - horny Heather or Minnie the Minx? - and the love triangle throws up some amusing situations that compensate for the numerous lapses in logic and pacing. Firth's character may be something of a pill to begin with, but once he lightens up, he emerges as a deft and affable leading man. It's also good to see supporting roles filled by such reliable talents as Steenburgen and Oliver Platt, a hoot as Hope's venal mayor. All in all, a date movie that's well worth making a date with.

I've just returned from my 3rd viewing of HS-still couldn't take my eyes off CF! And I still like it. But HG's performance is definitely not on par with the rest of the cast. Audience reaction was pretty good (and Glaswegian audences are notoriously difficult to please), although downside was cinema only 1/3 full. Soundtrack doesn't appear to have been released yet. Noticed Garbage and Zero 7 on music credits. I'll be back for no 4.

(Bethan) The BBC review was the first HS review that I read...but I think it's much fairer Let me check the credits to see if BBC put up any of the money... ;-) Thanks for typing up the Daily Mail's, Aishling. Is the reviewer still Christopher Tookey or has he gone back to his personal circle of Hell? ;-) (Dorine) It seems the degree of my laughter has become directly proportional to the increasing vitriol in each successive review. :-( That is the only sane way to deal with them. Many of us have years of experience and you don't get much scar tissue this way. Ladies! There's a reason *why* this film hasn't been released up to now and then only in the UK. Do you think films improve sitting on the shelf? Not all these critics are bona fide scholarly film critics, but you can't blame the messenger or totally attribute it to some kind of game they play. As fans, we are automatically biased to like anything that Colin appears in. Most of his fans ignore the actual movie itself and only focus on how he looks, what facial expressions he's making, do his dimples show, etc. Film critics look beyond that; that's what they're paid to do. They look at plot, overall acting, direction, to name but a few things. How many of you have said you'd pay to see or hear Colin reading a phone directory? I think that should pretty well sum up the built-in bias. If all this is true, I am hoping this film doesn't get released in the US. With the well-known cast of MD and HG, I see a potential Razzie candidate that could unseat J Lo's Maid in Manhattan. For the glass half full side of the house, if it doesn't get a theatrical release here, it'll be out on video faster than you can "crawl through a cage of rats with waffles on your head." ;-) Won't you be happier with that?

Herman's hometown won't give him a break either. From the Yorkshire Evening Press: With solid work like Brassed Off, Little Voice and even Purely Belter behind him, writer-director Mark Herman would appear to be a safe pair of hands in which to entrust your cinema admission fee. But, be warned, despite the obvious cross-gender temptations of a cast headed by Colin Firth, Heather Graham and Minnie Driver - and the promised uplift of its storyline - Hope Springs is boring, predictable and terminally bland. It opens well enough with sad-faced British artist Colin (Firth) arriving in New England to forget an old flame on an open-ended holiday in a town he picked purely because of its name. The brief encounter with the local art store proprietors suggests plenty of (unrealised) potential, as does his initial meeting with motel manager Joanie (Mary Steenburgen) and her husband Fisher (Frank Collison). The focus starts to blur however when Joanie introduces Colin to fun-loving care-giver Mandy (Graham) who spouts New Age mumbo-jumbo, empties bottles of spirits and takes her clothes off to celebrate feeling happy. Mmm, promising, but then she inexplicably turns into the doting, simplistic, small town gal she so patently should not be. The degree of separation between Colin as heartbroken flake and Colin as reawakened free spirit is so minute we hardly notice and suddenly we're watching a half-hearted spin on the Cinderella story. By the time Vera (Driver), Colin's materialistic ex-, turns up the whole thing is a total shambles. Her arrival is supposed to complete a classically competitive love triangle, but any tension left in the story evaporates as the unbelievable transparency of Vera's manipulation is matched only by the spinelessness of Colin's responses. Not even a trademark cheery buffoon cameo from Oliver Platt can save the day as Hope Springs completes its journey to Lost Cause.

Moving along to happier days...here's a clipping on Trauma from Screen Daily: Myriad beefs up London operation with double hire Jeremy Kay in Los Angeles 09 May 2003 Bolstering its London operation, production and distribution company Myriad Pictures has hired former Winchester executive Christine Howard as head of international business affairs and Alice Weston, formerly at Universal, as sales executive. Both appointments come as the London office expands its role as a stand-alone production and acquisitions entity led by Marion Pilowsky, head of international production, and a sales and distribution operation headed by Samantha Horley, senior vice-president of international distribution. Myriad president Kirk D'Amico said in a statement: "Part of our overall business plan is to generate at least half of our slate through UK-driven productions and co-productions." "Our goal is to develop, produce, co-produce or acquire projects, working with both UK and international companies and we are on track to meet these objectives." In her new role Howard will manage the business affairs and legal departments, where her duties will include providing legal analysis as well as advising on production, acquisition, and distribution agreements on a worldwide basis. She will report to Pilowsky for production-related activity and to Horley for distribution matters. Howard arrives from Winchester Entertainment, where she was vice president of business and legal affairs for two years. Prior to this, she served as head of business and legal affairs at Scala Productions and also worked at Quinta Communications, based in Paris. Weston will be involved in driving theatrical and TV sales in a number of territories including Eastern Europe, South East Asia and the Middle East. She will report directly to Horley and joins Myriad after a four-year tenure at Universal Pictures International, where she was executive of international sales and development. Weston has also held sales posts at PolyGram Television International and UIP Pay Television. Myriad recently concluded production on the UK Spanish co-production Imagining Argentina starring Antonio Banderas and Emma Thompson and has finalised contracts on the UK, Canadian and Hungarian co production Being Julia starring Annette Bening, from Robert Lantos' Serendipity Point Films. In addition the psychological chiller Trauma, from Little Bird's new Ministry of Fear label and BBC Films, is currently shooting on the Isle of Man. It stars Colin Firth and Mena Suvari. Both Being Julia and Trauma are also being made in conjunction with Grosvenor Park's new First Choice Films. Other current Myriad London projects include the Scottish comedy One Last Chance (formerly known as The Bums' Rush) and the Australian comedy thriller You Can't Stop The Murders. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ If they're bankrolling Antonio Banderas, Emma Thompson,& Annette Benniing they sound as if they are discriminating. I dunno about the last two with no names ;-)

(Karen) For the glass half full side of the house, if it doesn't get a theatrical release here, it'll be out on video faster than you can "crawl through a cage of rats with waffles on your head." ;-) Won't you be happier with that? My sentiments exactly. Given the delays and the reviews, I'd be really surprised to see it released here, and it seems like it's just as well for ODB if it isn't. So I'm just looking forward to the DVD, and at least we know it'll be available soon. It'll be disappointing not to get to see it in theaters, but maybe that'll be a reason to finally buy a bigger TV....

(Rika) I'd be really surprised to see it released here, and it seems like it's just as well for ODB if it isn't. So I'm just looking forward to the DVD, and at least we know it'll be available soon. Can we be sure though? SLOW was never released here on DVD or VHS....how do we know this will be available? I'll die if I don't get to see it one way or another... And though I'll fess up to being in the glass half full crowd, I'll also say I'm not normally a romcom girl (actually seeing one in a theater is a big deal for me....BJD was seen in a theater and it changed my life! ;-D). I'm all torn up inside! I just love ODB and will see him in anything. I admittedly have a huge bias were he is concerned. I'm overly critical with other films, but if ODB is in it, I get all light headed and blurry!

I just love ODB and will see him in anything. I admittedly have a huge bias were he is concerned. I'm overly critical with other films, but if ODB is in it, I get all light headed and blurry! I'm with you kid! I'm not normally a romcom fan either normally. One of my kids complains that my library is too serious! The other gets me firthfilms for mother's day!

(Tress) SLOW was never released here on DVD or VHS....how do we know this will be available? SLOW was a completely different situation, involving a bankruptcy, although its reviews in England were nearly as dire. To face facts, it was a bad film that no one wanted to buy for distribution. Are you predisposed to adore Firth films? 1. Would you consider a front-row seat watching Colin reading a telephone directory dying and going to heaven? 2. Do you know the location of all of Colin's moles? (Add 20 points if you daydream about connecting the dots.) 3. Does the sight of a navy blue suit worn by a tall man trigger the production of drool? 4. How much time do you spend on the internet on September 10 each year? � 1-5 hours � 5-10 hours � 30+ hours to accommodate time difference between self and England 5. Is your Firth film video/DVD collection not only organized by day of week but under lock and key? 6. Is there a brass plaque on your seat at the theater showing WAGW? 7. Are your neighbors shunning you because they don't want to see WAGW again? 8. Have you mutilated and/or destroyed every copy of Dangerous Liaisons in your city? 9. Is there a "The Edge of Reason or Bust" banner hung on your home? 10. Are you already preparing the GWAPE gift boxes for Academy voters Y/N?

(Tress) Can we be sure though? SLOW was never released here on DVD or VHS No, good point, but this has MD and HG which at least are "big" or at least known, names in the US. No one in SLOW would really produce more than a passing flicker of recognition here (sorry, at the time, even Colin I think). Maybe Nia Long, but only really with soap watchers from many moons ago. That's where I knew her from. (Dorine) It seems the degree of my laughter has become directly proportional to the increasing vitriol in each successive review. :-( (Karen) That is the only sane way to deal with them. Many of us have years of experience and you don't get much scar tissue this way. I hope it works this way for Colin, too. :-/ If all this is true, I am hoping this film doesn't get released in the US. With the well-known cast of MD and HG, I see a potential Razzie candidate that could unseat J Lo's Maid in Manhattan. I've been see-sawing on this. Saw on the Guardian site a quiz in which one question was something like, What do these 4 films have in common: Hope Springs, Even Cowboys Get the Blues,...I forget the others. And one of the answers was, "Nominated for a Razzie Award". There's a reason *why* this film hasn't been released up to now and then only in the UK. Do you think films improve sitting on the shelf? But sometimes good films sit on the shelf, too. They could be sitting there for a few reasons. The Quiet American was a very good film (I liked it anyway) that sat on the shelf for over a year til Michael Caine threatened not to work for Miramax again unless it was released. And he got an Oscar nom for it. And I realize it's a different caliber of work all around. And it had it's weak links, too. Thought Brendan Fraser wasn't bad, but still a bit miscast, IMO.

ROTFL Karen!

(Dorine) The Quiet American was a very good film (I liked it anyway) that sat on the shelf for over a year That was a film that would've been held until awards season anyway and I don't believe it was 'on the shelf' for a year, following completion. Harvey's reasons were far different than for SLOW or for HS. Why is "bad" not an acceptable option? :-(

OMG Karen, all of the above! Busted again on Drool! You've got our number! Glad to be in such good company.

I can't believe nobody's said it, so I will. The reason HG showed up with 'nipple plasters' must have been so that everyone couldn't see her 'ENs' - c'mon, you know that your Ns would be E if you were sitting nakey on Colin's lap all day!! };-) (wicked grin)

The Times (Saturday) in Play magazine gives HS 2 stars "Firth is agreeably maudlin as Colin, a British illustrator who leaves the country after being dumped by his fiance Vera to live in a run-down hotel in Hope, a samll town in Vermont. He slowly begins to rebuild his life and artracts the attentions of the lusty nurse Mandy. Then out of the blue Vera turns up. The first segmnt of the film is engagingly downbeat, but midway it becmes more of a standard romantic comedy." I stress again, this is not a bad film. But there are no special effects and it's a rom com with a predictable ending, which more or less guarantees a rough ride from the critics.

(from ) "(...) a stand-in actress who basically had to sit in Colin's lap with her clothes off the entire afternoon. Colin: I'm over it now." yeah, well i bet *she* isn't. (btw, would'nt it be nice to put this on your resume?) (cf again) "Well, the reason we had to re-shoot that scene was because the studio thought it was too naughty. This is a scene where we'd managed to get absolutely no nudity (...)" errrrr, thought she was sitting on your lap with her clothes off ? time to get your very own pair of glasses colin ? i am definitely confused here... oh, no, wait ! maybe nudity means only "with bits and pieces showing" ? note to lurking and non lurking historians : it seems to me that disney is reviving the hays code here... let pr. sophie remind you of the 'motion picture production code of 1930': article II, sex (am skipping the foreword, eventhough it is hilarious) (...)2. scenes of passion : a. they should not be introduced when not essential to the plot [ed note: well, i can think of hundreds of... oh, never mind] b. excessive and lustful kissing, lustful embraces, suggestive postures and gestures, are not to be shown [ed note: kissing lessons might not be needed after all...] c. in general, passion should so be treated that these scenes do not stimulate the lower and baser element [ed note: duh?] (am skipping the segregationist bits, i guess you get the picture... sigh) (...) article IV, costume 1. complete nudity is never permitted. this includes nudity in fact or in silhouette, or any lecherous or licentious notice thereof by other caracters in the picture [ed note: would that include underwear references ?] 2. undressing scenes should be avoided, and never used save where essential to the plot. [ed note: no comment] (...) 4. dancing costumes intended to permit undue exposure or indecent movements in the dance are forbidden [ed note: enter, the plasters] thank you for your attention. (mari)"(...) so he wore a sock on it (...)" hahaha ! ! ! suddenly had this vision of the chilly peppers doing their hilarious beatles/abbey road impersonation ! ! ! thanks mari, you've made my day, awa karen, with her great list !

I think the assumption about EN�s is definitely right. I wonder why nobody else mentioned it before. Directors should be warned about that and more understanding for his film-partners.

(sorry i totally forgot in my last post who posted mark herman's and cf's Q&A. sincere apologies) a day in the life of the stunt hg: - honey, i'm home ! - dinner's ready. btw, how was your day at the office ? - oh well, the usual you know, taking off my clothes, sitting naked all afternoon in cf's lap... - poor baby, well at least it pays the rent - yeah, well, you know, it's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it.

From Canoe Jam in Canada: "...Zellweger will be seen later this year starring opposite Kidman and Jude Law in the Civil War drama Cold Mountain. She is waiting to see the a new screenplay for Bridget Jones 2 before she accepts one of several films she has been offered, including the Ron Howard boxing drama Cinderella Man, which would pair her with Russell Crowe. "I would definitely be Bridget Jones again with all that entails," says Zellweger, referring to the 25 lbs she gained for the role. "No one wants to do the sequel unless the screenplay is as good as the first one. We don't want to do a sequel just because the first one made a lot of money. We owe it to the fans of the characters to make as good, if not better, a film the second time around." http://www.canoe.ca/JamMovies/may10_renee-sun.html

And a Colin mention in this from the Daily Telegraph: Why modern romance is rubbish http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2003/05/10/bfrom10.xml