Quartile rating: 6/10 · 1 rating
A couple of angels, O'Reilly and Jackson, are sent to Earth to make sure that their next supervised love-connection succeeds. They follow Celine, a spoiled rich girl who has just accidentally shot a suitor and, due to a misunderstanding, is kidnapped by janitor Robert. Although Celine quickly frees herself, she stays with Robert for thrills. O'Reilly and Jackson pursue, hoping to unite the prospective lovers.
A Life Less Ordinary is a quirky but uneven romantic comedy from Danny Boyle and John Hodge, riding the wave of their Trainspotting success. The premise blending angels, kidnapping, and screwball romance is charmingly odd, but the script struggles to sustain coherence and the tonal shifts feel more scattered than daring. Ewan McGregor and Cameron Diaz have sporadic chemistry and the supporting angel duo (Holly Hunter and Delroy Lindo) steal scenes, but the acting is variable. Visually it has some of Boyle's kinetic energy though lacks the distinctive punch of his better work. The ending feels rushed and unconvincing, failing to pay off the romantic and supernatural threads satisfyingly. Novelty earns a modest boost for its bizarre genre mashup ambition, even if execution falls short.