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gave up halfway

how does a romantic comedy work if you don't like the lovers? It doesn't. A triumph of style over substance, but then ditto trainspotting, tarantino etc.

Excellent but strange!

I loved all the movie but specially the beginnig. Cameron Diaz is so perfect in her role, it's amazing. All the kidnapping part is very funny and you won't be bored. The movie gets more and more strange and I didn't really undestand the end. The angels act so strange, but I just enjoyed it without trying to understand!
I really liked everything, the caracters are attaching and the actors are great. This is one of the strangest movies I've ever seen but it isn't annoying.

one of my favorite movies

A classic road movie / black comedy featuring the brilliant Ewan Mcgregor and of course Cammy Diaz! McGregor's character gets the sack from his boss and gets dumped by his girlfriend the same day. So with everything lost, he has nothing to lose when he storms up to the boss' office and demands his job back. In which he manages to kidnap the lovely Cameron Diaz. That's all I'll tell you! It's got to be one of my fave films ever. It's got great jokes [in a black comedy stylee] and lots of plot twists and turns with a great scene in the middle with 'Beyond the Sea!' An utter classic. You need it. It's so styylish and every time I watch it, I find I love it even more. Ahhh.

Just a quick reflection on the film

I simply failed to understand this film. According to the description on the back of the film box the story is about two people trying to get two completely opposite people to fall in love with each other, and yet this is never apparent in the film, for instance when Holly Hunter tries to gun him down with a machine gun, why? I failed to be impressed by this film and finally after about an hour and a half of boredom, switched it off. If you like wasting your money then rent this one out.

Classic but New and Edgy.

From the back of the box you already know it's going to be a romantic comedy and that Ewan MgGregor and Cameron Diaz are going to play characters who fall in love...but since it is from the same team as Trainspotting it goes about it in a twisted way. Rob (McGregor)flips when his he loses his job and his girlfriend and holds his boss Mr. Neville at gunpoint, demanding his job back. Not being much of a criminal mastermind, he flounders and ends up kidnapping the boss's daughter Celine(Diaz) which digs himself in deeper. As he flounders more and more, his kidnappee becomes his partner in more ways then one, as they escape from Mr. Neville and two fallen angels who will do anything to get Celine and Rob together. Rob and Celine are helped along the way by Celine's brain-damaged exboyfriend dentist (Stanely Tucci) and a strange backwoods lunatic. There is also a confusing appearance of the actor from the TV show Monk and we never find out exactly what he is. It's a strange movie but absolutely hilarious. McGregor has slapstick down, and even without that the dialogue is very crisp and, more times then not, witty. There is also a nice karaoke scene for fans of McGregors voice, featuring Beyond the Sea by Bobby Darrin, and Diaz dances a bit. There are twists toward the end, so it keeps you guessing. It is probably the best romantic comedy I've ever seen.

The Daughter of Marilyn Monroe and John Kennedy ...

Some things hold over time, while others do not. In the case of A Life Less Ordinary, I had hoped it would be the more optimistic of the two. While ten years have passed since I sat in the darkened movie theatre at the Beverly Center and watched this, a multitude of things have changed; and yes, I can safely say that my life has probably become more ordinary than less ordinary - so please take what I say with an objective ear, or eye ...

For Instance:

In the film Gasoline is only $1.39, now it's close to $4 a gallon.
In the film the Heroine is still moved by poetry, while women of today are not. You would probably be laughed at if you wrote a poem for most women, which is a shame to say the least.
In the film, the black bar presentation used to be a standard, now it's just an annoyance.
In the film, an obscure, but hip soundtrack was almost a new idea, now it's just a played out and an overused idea that ended when every TV show now features a pop-song or two.
In the film, you're subjected to what's known as the encore ending, which just keeps on going - now no studio would tolerate it.
In the film, the 103 minute runtime feels like 130 minutes.
In the film, a Wallace & Gromit style ending was unnecessary, these days they make entire films like that.


Overall, this film is pretty forgettable and most people have already done just that. Some people have seen it, a few vaguely remember it but honestly most have never heard of it. My experiences with this film are purely personal but mostly having to do with who I went with, rather than the movie itself. I can imagine that it's this way for most people as well. At best, this was just a fleeting failure of a date movie made in the early days of Danny Boyle, who would later dream up the greatest zombie flick ever made, 28 Days Later.

I was bored to tears in several places during this movie, which wasn't what I remembered but that's just the cruel irony of fate. The story seems to have elements of themes that were typical of the times, much like pictures from the great depression had themes of the everyman overcoming insurmountable odds. This film has the down and out young man, mopping diner floors like in Untamed Heart, the kidnapping plot from The Big Hit and of course the William S. Burroughs true story of "William Tell with a .454 Casul" thread that seemed to be so pervasive everywhere just before Burrough's much timely demise during that same year.

A dark time for romantic drama, or noir dramatic comedy or even ensemble picture, take your pick. From Maury Chaukin, who not only delivers the best one liner in the movie (I watch mostly the biblical channels), but did the same in Dances with Wolves (I've peed my pants and there's nothing you can do about it) ... to Delroy Lindo and Holly Hunter as rogue angels, on a mission from God and Gabriel, who almost together steal this entire movie, with a sub-plot that is vastly more interesting than the main plot.

So, with all the faults and lack of a developed story and riding on the successes of Trainspotting, this film will probably forever be delegated to the $5 bin at Walmaze or entirely forgotten.

Strangely, the one thing that was ahead of it's time in this -- was Ewan's idea for a pulp novel, which was rightly seen as "predictable". The story of an illegitimate daughter between Marilyn Monroe and John F. Kennedy would be just the thing that Studio's would stupidly try to produce these days and think that it's cool and/or marketable.

Different...

This is no typical romance movie, that's what makes it so great. It's basically about two angels set to make two very different people fall in love. So, firstly there's Ewan Mcgreggor- a cleaner and then there's Cameron Diaz-athe daughther of a rich man. She get's kidnapped by Ewan and fate takes it from there.
I liked it a lot, and the acting from Ewan is very good although cameron's wasn't exactly top notch-but getting there. Basically, if you do not watch it then there's no harm no foul, however if you do you will always remember it- and people don't do that often.

Bizarre, but highly entertaining

The thing to remember when watching _A_Life_Less_ Ordinary_ is that the movie is supposed to be surreal--it's kind of like a dream. The violence, if taken seriously, ruins the whole piece. But when that violence, along with just about everything else about the movie, is viewed as something outside of reality, everything comes together to form some real entertainment. Nothing that happens in this movie could really happen the way it does; and that's the point. I'm convinced that the reason most of the critics trashed this movie is they didn't quite get the surrealism involved here. Notice that even the setting of the movie is removed from anything overly familiar. The action doesn't start in New York City and move to upstate New York. It all takes place in Utah. The audience is not bombarded with familiar products. I have no idea what kind of gas the characters put in their car--we are not shown a looming sign at the gas station with a big name gas company emblazoned on it. When Robert (Ewan McGregor) unpacks groceries there are no soda cans or potato chip bags positioned just right so that the audience can read them. Even when we are given a specifics about place, they are generic. "Al's Bar," for example. All of these things help create this surreal, dream-like feel to the movie.

Don't listen to the critics. In fact, never listen to the critics. Make up your own mind. In my opinion, this is a great movie. But don't listen to me either. Just see it.

BEST MOVIE EVER

This Movie Is Awesome. The plot is Awesome The acting is awesome . ( Holly Hunter is Perfect) and the story is one of the most unique and original stories that i have ever seen. I recommend this movie to anyone . Everyone must see this movie as it is the most underrated movie in the history of film . The Karioke scene is good as is the scene where O'Riley is reading the romance novel and gets very descriptive . This movie is perfect in every way , Whoever hates this movie is stupid and very cynical as this movie is for people who believe in true love . This movie should be a national treasure for years to come

Fun, fun, fun

Excellent soundtrack, great performances. Personally i like this movie because is not this silly romantic movies, that are shown to you all the time, is funny and light and not cloying!

Some parts were great, most parts were not

I had wanted to see this film for a couple of years before finally getting around to watching it recently. But this film fell way short of my expectations. After "Shallow Grave" and "Trainspotting", I was expecting another fun, but unusual film from Danny Boyle. Unfortunately, while this movie is certainly unusual, it was also rarely fun. There was some very good talent in this movie, but they only occasionally had a good script. Some individual scenes were very good, but too many others were not, and in general, the film was very unsatisfying. And on a final note, Holly Hunter REALLY needs to consider accepting a normal role, because her characters are almost always irritating. Needless to say, this one is no exception.

trippy all the way

Call me crazy, but I absolutely loved this movie.I'm a huge fan of both Diaz and McGregor, and I thought although not the most complex roles they could find, they played Robert and Celine to their maximum potential. Although some of the movie is cliched and a little weak, the two stars charm absolutely overrides it. I loved the use of music and color especially, I felt that they really set the mood for the movie. And the karaoke scene....absolutely adorable, what can I say? This movie, for lack of a better metaphor, is like a good dream...it doesnt all make sense, it's a little weird, but you wake up satisfied.

A Movie Less Ordinary

Frankly, I loved this movie. I was a little iffy on seeing it because I'd read a lot of bad reviews, but upon watching it decided to disregard the no-imagination-having cynics. Okay, there were some parts I didn't like. Cameron Diaz holding the gun to the little girl's head in the bank-Yikes! But overall it was great fun and quite a unique love story. Ewan McGregor was delightful and lovable as the hapless janitor who dreams of writing the great American trash novel. I'm always surprised by the roles he picks. The "angels" were a little disturbing, but I'll bet this is at least one of the most unique pair of angels you've ever seen in a movie. The song-and-dance number in the karaoke bar was tons of fun. Ewan is no professional, but he sings well, and Cameron's singing can only improve from "My Best Friend's Wedding." :-) Their dancing isn't too bad, either. I liked it a lot, and with the right attitude going into it, I think a lot of other people would, too.

Danny + Ewan on a bigger budget = great movie

Shallow Grave was done on a budget of £1million apparently. That was another great black comedy. Trainspotting was too bleak for me. This is a treat. A kind of Heaven Can Wait + Road movie of your choice. Ewan McGregor for the next King of Scotland. Puts Sean Connery to shame. A Scottish film star than can truly act. A superstar for the next Millennium.

Sweet, clever, and different

I guess those who hate and pan this movie are those people who've lost the ability to suspend disbelief. Or maybe they don't believe in love. or in having fun. This movie is sweet, different, humorous, romantic all at the same time. Sure it's far fetched. But don't you people ever get bored with your true to life tear jerker movies? Lighten up! Let yourself go. Take a few side trips into musical numbers where people can't sing worth a crap and suddenly appear in dance costumes. This one is for the dreamers. Enjoy it!

A Life Less Ordinary Would Be Boring

"Robert: Right you asshole, I've got your daughter here, and I'm gonna send her back in pieces if... OH! I'm sorry, madam. No, I haven't got your daughter here; I've got someone else's. No, we're not married. Yes, I've read the same thing, it's very hard to find suitable young men these days. Well, I'm sure your daughter's very nice, in principle I've got no objection to meeting her...
Celine hangs up the phone
Robert: What is the problem?"

Robert, Ewen McGregor, has kidnapped Celine, Carmeron Diaz, for ransom, and he really doesn't have a plan. Celine has to prod him along and teach him how to ask for ransom. This is a cosmic entry into the movie of no ordinary man. During the long time awaiting the ransom Celine and Robert hit it off. Celine wants to leave her family and in particular her father, and this is her way out. However, she had not planned on falling for her kidnapper. Celine, takes action and she really is the strong and comedic part of this movie. Their adventures begin anew and some of them are side splittingly (sp) funny. How will they begin their new life? Where is the ransom money and how in Hell do they get rid of Holly Hunter, she just won't die !

There is a scene in the dentist's office that is laugh out loud funny. Your worse nightmare of what a visit to the dentist would be. A dentist with his head wrapped in gauze, the result of a terrible accident, who will fill a cavity without novacaine, becasue after all, "You'll probably pass out from pain anyway!"

And, Elvis Presley singing, "You Were Always On My Mind", is such a romantic touch as Celine and Robert meet. And then "If I Were Your Woman and You Were My Man" while they decide if they are really meant for each other. Absurd and irrational, yes, but then, the entire movie is one for the books!
Recommended. prisrob

A great movie to watch when you have the flu.

Cameron Diaz and Ewan McGregor are star-crossed lovebirds on the lam in this twisted romantic comedy from the creatores of "Trianspotting". Celine(Diaz)is a spoiled, rich young woma whose worst nightmare is having her credit card rejected. Robert(McGregor) is a hapless janitor whose greatest dream is to write the Great American Trash Novel. They have nothing in common-except the burning desire to live "a life less ordinary." When Celine is kidnapped by the inept Robert, a pair of celetial cops are dispatched to earth to make sure that they live that "life less ordinary." together. Co-staring Holly hunter and Delroy Lindo, this irresistable romantic comedy is proof that love overcomes all.

Very disappointing

From the blurb on the back of this video, I was expecting this to be a good film. The idea was brilliant, and it was very original. Unfortunately I didn't like the film, it was so absurd and unrealistic, that I found myself unable to enjoy it.

Comedy?, Do not believe it!

Disappointed is an understatement. I actually bought this film as I thought that it looked really good, was I wrong. It starts off okay but as it slowly (and I mean slowwwwwwwly!) unravels it ends up like an extract from a David Lynch reject. I thought it was going to be an out and out road comedy but what with excruciatingly annoying Angels(!) Delroy Lindo and Holly Hunter, a cough and a spit of a part from the usually consistent Ian Holm and the abysmally trippy ending, I felt thoroughly let down. A plus point was the performances of the leads, the lovely Cameron Diaz and fellow Celt Ewan McGregor.

Good Stuff From The Director Of 'Slumdog Millionare'

Danny Boyle directs this anything but ordinary love story with tremendous visual energy and a well chosen soundtrack that alternates between Beck, Radiohead, Oasis, and Bobby Darin. Robert (Ewan McGregor) is a lowly janitor who dreams of writing a trashy novel about the illegitimate child of JFK and Marilyn Monroe. His life's ambition comes in the way of his job and his girlfriend and he loses them both in the same day. Pissed off and desperate, Robert decides to kill his former employer, a cold hearted man named Neville (Ian Holm). On the day of the attempted assassination, Neville is in the middle of cutting off his daughter Celine (Cameron Diaz) unless she agrees to marry a dentist (Stanley Tucci) who she has just shot in the head. When Robert bursts into this charged atmosphere security is called, shots are fired, Neville is wounded and Celine becomes a kidnap victim. A clueless Robert doesn't know the first thing about demanding a ransom or what to do next so he takes Celine to a secluded cabin and the two hide out there until he can come up with a plan. Celine isn't worried since she's been kidnapped twice before and she finds herself tutoring her helpless captor in the ways of extortion. Meanwhile, two Celestial beings (Holly Hunter and Delroy Lindo) have been sent to Earth to make sure that Robert and Celine fall in love. They will be denied re entry into Heaven if they fail in their mission. This was the one part of the story that I thought stopped the movie dead in it's tracks and wish would have been cut. Hunter and Lindo are fine actors but they don't bring anything to the film. The leads do quite well and don't need assistance. McGregor is likable in a way that I don't think he's ever been before and Diaz is cast somewhat against type (this early in her career) as a major witch who slowly opens up to Robert. By the time these two go to a bar and perform a killer karaoke version of Bobby Darin's 'Beyond The Sea', you, like Robert and Celine, will have fallen in love with the movie.