Two Weeks Notice is a light by likeable product for Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock. Bullock is the producer, and she fares better here than in two previous attempts--Murder By Numbers, and Miss Congeniality. It would seem her goal was to make a screwball comedy ala 1930s. She also made it her business to take care of Grant.

The screwball influence is all over the film. There's more than one nod to a Katharine Hepburn/Spencer Tracy film, as the principled woman makes a human being of the business tycoon. More than once Hugh Grant seems to be impersonating another Grant, Cary, and Bullock's role feels like Katharine her looks occasionally seem to imitate Audrey Hepburn. There's even dialogue about the Hepburns in Marc Lawrence's tailor-made script. In fact, I'd be interested to study to movie to actually document the various nods to screwball comedies. Of course screwball in the naughts doesn't work as well as it did in the 30s. Back then the censors drew red lines through anything to do with sex, and the whole point of screwball was to playfully represent sexual tension. But now, anything goes, and a sex scene seems often obligatory to a movie.

Still, Two Weeks Notice is surprisingly good entertainment. There are holes, of course, Bullock isn't terribly believable as a Harvard grad--surely they still teach grammar up there. Still I liked her passion as the Birkenstock lawyer more interested in causes than cash.

I loved Hugh Grant. The role, as mentioned, was written exactly for him, and he exerts effort in playing it. My very favorite line comes after Bullock accuses him of being the most selfish person on the planet, to which he responds: "Well that's just silly, have you met everyone on the planet?" With Grant's deliciously snooty accent and manner, it works well. And if you are to enjoy this film, you have to be keen on the individual schtick of Grant and Bullock, which is put together here with success.

The story is irrelevant, extremely contrived, and likely doesn't include one original idea, but who cares? Romantic comedies are all about chemistry, feeling good and a hearty laugh or two. It's all there in Two Weeks Notice.


Home || Complete list of reviews