Sweet November *** (2001, Keanu Reeves, Charlize Theron, Jason Isaacs) – Classic Movie Review 1573

Director Pat O’Connor’s 2001 movie tearfest Sweet November is an unexpected but welcome noughties updated remake of a long-forgotten 1968 romantic weepie, Sweet November.

Keanu Reeves stars as Nelson Moss, a San Francisco workaholic executive whose only intimate relationship is with his advertising job until a chance meeting with free-spirited Sara Deever (Charlize Theron) while taking a driving test. Intrigued by each other, but not ready to commit, they settle on an unconventional courtship. They agree on a one-month trial, after which they will go their separate ways, with no expectations, pressure or strings attached. So neither counts on falling in love.

The likeable Reeves and Theron show good chemistry together and make a very handsome couple in this skilfully made, sneakily enjoyable film that will have all unreconstituted romantics reaching for their hankies and all cynics reaching for their sick bags. A good change of pace for Keanu and Charlize, Sweet November is a pleasure to watch and a sweet delight.

It is nice that Reeves and Theron are caught at around their most attractive. However, the sight of Jason Isaacs in drag as Chaz Watley is a touch disturbing!

Needless to say, but we will, it was not one of Reeves and Theron’s biggest hits. Costing a highish $40,000,000, it grossed only $25,288,103 in the US, but the cumulative worldwide gross was $65,754,228, presumably taking it into profit.

Also in the cast are Greg Germann, Liam Aiken, Robert Joy, Lauren Graham, Michael Rosenbaum, Frank Langella, Jason Kravitz, Ray Baker, Tom Bullock, Adele Proom and L Peter Callender.

Kurt Voelker provides a good, solidly crafted screenplay, taken from the 1968 screenplay by Herman Raucher and story by Paul Yurick.

Oddly, they have kept Theron’s character name but not Reeves’s from the 1968 film Sweet November, where Anthony Newley was Charlie Blake and Sandy Dennis was Sara Deever.

Sweet November has a busy soundtrack. It features the song ‘Only Time’ written, produced and performed by Enya. ‘Time After Time’ (written by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn) is performed by Keanu Reeves.

The warm and sincere Sweet November is meanly and unfairly listed among The 100 Most Enjoyably Bad Movies Ever Made in the sneery Golden Raspberry Award founder John Wilson’s book The Official Razzie Movie Guide.

Sweet November is directed by Pat O’Connor, runs 120 minutes, is made by Warner Bros, Bel Air Entertainment and 3 Arts Entertainment, is released by Warner Bros, is written by Kurt Voelker, based on the 1968 screenplay by Herman Raucher and story by Paul Yurick, is shot in Technicolor by Edward Lachman, is produced by Elliott Kastner, Steven Reuther, Deborah Stoff and Erwin Stoff, is scored by Christopher Young, and is designed by Naomi Stohan.

Reeves was back in romantic mood for The Lake House in 2006.

© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 1573

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