She’s the One *** (1996, Edward Burns, Mike McGlone, Jennifer Aniston, Cameron Diaz, John Mahoney) – Classic Movie Review 1608

‘A film about love, marriage, happiness…and the little distractions in between.’ Sounds frightful, doesn’t it? But don’t let the poster put you off. Writer-director Edward Burns, maker of the 1995 indie hit The Brothers McMullen, comes up with a better-crafted, more mainstream movie this time in 1996 – a gently amusing romantic sitcom.

As star, Burns is quietly engaging as Mickey Fitzpatrick, an Irish American cabman who weds a fare called Hope (Maxine Bahns) on impulse, leading to problems. But his problems are nothing compared to those of his brother Francis (Mike McGlone) who’s married to Renee (Jennifer Aniston), while simultaneously enjoying bonking Heather (Cameron Diaz).

Burns’s script is burdened by too much drossy talk and contrivance in a movie that’s so old-fashioned and lighthearted that you expect to see Doris Day and Rock Hudson at any moment, but it is still cute and appealing enough. John Mahoney out-acts everybody as Dad, stealing his every scene, but then he’s had a lot of practice as dad in TV’s Frasier.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1608

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