P.S. I Love You

UK Release: 4th January 2008

Watched on DVD: Sunday 1st July 2012

Rating: 12A

Genre: Drama, Romantic

Runtime: 2hrs 6mins

Tagline: His life ended. Now, a new one will begin. 

IMDb Plot Synopsis: Holly Kennedy is beautiful, smart and married to the love of her life - a passionate, funny, and impetuous Irishman named Gerry. So when Gerry's life is taken by an illness, it takes the life out of Holly. The only one who can help her is the person who is no longer there. Nobody knows Holly better than Gerry. So it's a good thing he planned ahead. Before he died, Gerry wrote Holly a series of letters that will guide her, not only through her grief, but in rediscovering herself. The first message arrives on Holly's 30th birthday in the form of a cake, and to her utter shock, a tape recording from Gerry, who proceeds to tell her to get out and "celebrate herself". In the weeks and months that follow, more letters from Gerry are delivered in surprising ways, each sending her on a new adventure and each signing off in the same way; P.S. I Love You. Holly's mother and best friends begin to worry that Gerry's letters are keeping Holly tied to the past...

My Review: I've actually reviewed this film before over a year ago, but after finally giving in and purchasing the DVD I sat down to watch it again to see if my feelings had changed. I found I liked it for different reasons. Last year I found it full of emotion and warmth and thought that because I was part of the target audience I could not hep but smile while watching it. I’ve grown quite a lot since then (in general, and also in my film tastes) and so now I am seeing it slightly differently. I still like it - it ticks all the romantic comedy boxes. Even the loveable irish man which American’s just can’t help fall for (what is it with Americans and the Irish?!). But as I now view myself as somewhat of a rom-com expert what with the amount I watch, I appreciate that it is so much more. For a start the comedy is usually found in the flashbacks to when Gerry was alive. It’s very intense and it’s hard to think about romance for Holly until the very end as her life was defined by her husband. It’s more about her discovering who she is without him and how she can move on from such a terrible tragedy. It’s the little things - her friends, karaoke and shoes - that keep her going. 

Things start to shift when the Holly and her two friends go to Ireland and Hilary Swank does quite well with a difficult subject. You can tell it’s so much more than just the usual rom-com with acting talent like Kathy Bates and Harry Connick Jr. So yes, it is full of emotion and leaves you with a smile on your face. But it is also touching, funny and honest. Now that’s something to smile about. 

Score: 7.5/10