Two of the biggest '50 plus' actors around combine for this romantic comedy 'The Love Punch'.
Former Bond Pierce Brosnan and Emma Thompson play an estranged couple who are forced to reunite and travel to Paris when their retirement fund is defrauded and cleaned out. Planning to steal a diamond from the ruthless fraudster responsible, they recruit their neighbours (Timothy Spall and Celia Imrie) to assist in the caper, but can this shared objective rekindled their romance?
Bringing new meaning to the word 'light comedy', 'The Love Punch' is a film where you know what happens before you decide to see it. There's bickering, sharp remarks between the separated pair, and various reaction shots when a 'funny' moment happens. Yes, the cast have enough charm to prevent you from tearing your hair out, but with so little to surprise you the film will do little more than provide wish-fulfilment for cinemagoers of a certain age.
For all the plot's many holes and clichés, Brosnan and Thompson are a very well matched pair. The suave, million-dollar-smiled Brosnan (who seems to be carving a career as a romantic lead for the older generation) clashes well with Thompson, again making the most of her niche as a sharp-witted, no nonsense persona portrayed so well in 'Saving Mr Banks').
Sadly, along with Spall and Imrie, you find yourself pleading for better material for them to work with, as even some of the cast appear to cringe at certain points.
A rather cynical attempt to cash-in on the 'silver-haired adventure' demographic that made 'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' such a crossover hit, but instead of another hit we have a film that has likeable stars, charming locations, but nothing to say.
The Love Punch is out in cinemas from April 18.
This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read the FAQ at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php#publishers.
