Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
In 1962 New York City, love blossoms between a playboy journalist and a feminist advice author.
Down with Love is a loving pastiche of early-1960s Doris Day/Rock Hudson sex comedies, and its greatest strength is its meticulous, vibrant recreation of that era's visual style — the split-screens, candy-colored sets, and knowing wink at the genre are cinematographically delightful. The plot is a competent screwball battle-of-the-sexes with a clever mid-film twist, though it never fully transcends its homage roots. Renée Zellweger and Ewan McGregor are charming and game, delivering solid period-appropriate performances without being truly revelatory. Novelty is moderate — it's distinctive as a loving recreation rather than a parody, but it remains fundamentally derivative by design. The ending, with its extended monologue revelation and overly tidy wrap-up, feels rushed and relies too heavily on explaining its own cleverness rather than landing with genuine emotional satisfaction.