The movie is plodding, predictable, and flat with a script seemingly spewed out from a cliche-machine. Tonally it is sporadic with divergence into painful and poorly constructed scenes regarding addiction as well as an ill-advised tangent into teenage sexual harassment. If the movie was actually the light-hearted rom-com it appeared to be it wouldn't have been great but it would have been entertaining.
Owen and Binoche seem lost with actions and dialogue so mismatched their characters have no semblance of reality. We do not care about either of the main characters nor do we care about the trite argument they are engaged in English vs. Art. Their romance is so contrived and pointless, their characters so opaque and unlikable, the inevitable redemption is totally unbelievable.
On a personal note the portrayal of alcoholism in film leaves a lot to be desired. This stereotypical and romanticized depiction of alcoholism is the latest in a long line of exploitative portraits of addiction on screen. Using it as plot device rather than treating it as a real thing. Most recently with Crazy Heart and Flight now with Words & Pictures addiction is used to manufacture emotional reactions with no actual resonance. The AA scenes alone are laughable in their inaccuracy. The throws of addiction are sad and desperate, rarely do they involve a big blow up at a restaurant or someone trashing their apartment listening to 80's punk. At least in my experience. And the road to recovery is not quick and easy. People do not turn on a dime after one AA meeting and retrieve the affection of their loved ones after one emotional tear-soaked apology.
Addiction and recovery is a serious, complicated, sometimes wondrous, often painful journey. Using it to blatantly further plot or illicit sympathy in a film cheapens the struggle of those people directly and indirectly involved.
Don't See It.
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