New Year's Eve (2011)

New Year's Eve (2011)

The lives of several couples and singles in New York intertwine over the course of New Year's Eve.

Director:

Garry Marshall

Writer:

Katherine Fugate

Stars:

Sarah Jessica Parker, Jessica Biel, Ashton Kutcher | See full cast and crew » 

TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_dt27_0vL4 

Rented from the library, watched sola

Another cringeworthy collaboration from Gary Marshall and Katherine Fugate. Not as god-awful terrible as previously-reviewed "Valentine's Day" but more of the same and still dumb. They use some of the same actors so it took a second to figure out if they were supposed to be the same as in the previous movie or if it was a new story line. New story line, but apparently only white people have New Year's Eve stories, (as was my gripe before). The writer/director has a thing about showing some of the same people in both films, like one of the older nurse (the director's wife), the person with disabilities in the chair, the same little boy did a cameo I think as the kid who bodysurfed. It's enjoyable to see some of that because it means they care about their family/friends etc. The inclusion of the sacrifice of military personnel is also a theme. I think I hated this one LESS because it was more about variations of relationships, not just love. The first one could have benefited a bit more from that. It also could have benefited more by casting more non-whites in leading roles, instead of as supporting roles. I swear, for movies that supposedly take place in New York (and previously LA), it sure is hell-bent on whiteness. I mean, hell, the pastor and his whole family could have been black. Why not? Or they could have been Asian or whatever. Basically these films are really white-washed and lack imagination. They also assume we can spend a few minutes with a person and all of a sudden have a romantic connection with them. Stupid rom-com trope for sure. Hector Elizondo became a Polish joke/character and the pregnant couples were strange. They were fighting over who gave birth first and therefore wins the New Year's Baby money prize. I BADLY wanted an underprivileged, struggling mom to be the one that beat them because they needed a slap in the face. And there was only one black baby in the nursery and 7 white ones. Seriously? What hospital is that? Some hoity-toity one I guess. :P Anyway, the 'interconnectedness' theme was at play again, and whoopty-doo on that one. I don't know if it was actually any better than the first one or I just was used to the letdown I knew I was starting? Anyway, if you watch either of these movies, they would probably benefit from a drinking game of sorts.
~~
Nice thing on the trivia page that belies my whining about diversity. Halle Berry was originally cast in the Katherine Heigl role and had to turn it down b/c of a custody battle, but then later was recast as the nurse.
~~

Here's an ouch from the award page... The only award it did win: Actress Most in Need of a New Agent: All of the actresses in New Year's Eve (2011).
~~Gary Marshall helped to write and directed The Other Sister which is about special needs, so he must have a soft spot in his heart for it. Which is cool. And I mean, they man has cred.... but these movies just didn't work. How they made the second one... well... whatever.