Every aspect of A Case of You reads like a first draft
screenplay which places all of its chips on a solitary clever idea, but the
unwillingness to follow that premise through with believable character choices
leaves us with a protagonist that comes off as creepy and insecure and a
romantic interest who is either self-absorbed or just plain stupid. This is
unfortunate, because a bit more work in the screenwriting phase or clearer
direction from the three writers may have made for an engaging and socially
relevant romantic comedy. Instead, we are given a half-baked idea and
characters that seem intentionally oblivious as the only means to propel the
story forward in the desired direction.
Sam (Justin
Long) works as a writer adapting films into novelized form, which is one of
those jobs that any struggling writer would be extremely grateful for, but A
Case of You uses this as a movie cliché for our protagonist’s crippling
self-esteem issues. Sam has so little faith in himself that he is unable to
even accomplish the simple task of asking out a young barista in the
predictably hip coffee shop where he makes his unoriginal attempt at being a
serious novelist. Birdie (Evan Rachel Wood) doesn’t even reject Sam, but merely
ends their friendly conversation to help another customer. Unable to take the
leap and ask her out, Sam instead begins obsessively memorizing her Facebook
profile in an attempt to trick Birdie into believing he is her perfect man.
Not only is this
behavior extremely creepy, Sam’s behavior while pathetically attempting to be
Birdie’s ideal man is far from believable. The fact that Birdie puts up with
his false demeanor and contrived personality is a huge setback in the logic of
the plot, and one which the screenwriters never truly try and negotiate with
any honesty. Unfortunately, this makes Birdie a one-dimensional character with
no real depth or insight, which feeds right into the negatively possessive
manner with which Sam attempts to trick her into falling for him. Sam comes off
as a stalker trying to gain ownership of a cute girl he has nothing in common
with, and the portrayal of Birdie as an object to be owned is never addressed.
The Blu-ray
release includes interviews and a trailer. A Case of You also includes
supporting actors Peter Dinklage and Brendan Fraser, both wasted in flashy
supporting roles that have no real purpose beyond a few forced laughs.
Entertainment Value:
7.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 5/10
Historical
Significance: 2/10
Disc Features: 3/10
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