Free Love Happens
Genres: RomanceDr
Starring: Judy Greer, Aaron Eckhart, John Carroll Lynch, Jennifer Aniston, Frances Conroy, Joe Anderson, Dan Fogler
Available Quality: DVD, Hi Def, iPod, Hi Def, Hi Def
Director(s): Brandon Camp
Country: USA, Canada
Year: 2009
IMDB Rating: 5.5
Burke is a motivational speaker whos book about dealing with grief is a best seller. His wife died in a car accident three years ago. Hes in Seattle to lead a week-long workshop on healing and to negotiate a major multi-media deal. But somethings amiss hes a closet drinker, he wont ride elevators, his moods swing, hes estranged from his wifes father, and hes very much alone. In a hotel hallway, he bumps into a woman arranging flowers, tries to chat with her, and gets the brush-off. Shes Eloise, a local florist whos just broken up with a boyfriend. Hes persistent and they eventually go to dinner - it goes badly. Whats blocking Burke? Can the physician heal himself.
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Love Happens (iPod) | Resolution: 480x256 px | Total Size: 328 Mb |
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Love Happens (Hi Def) | Resolution: 852x464 px | Total Size: 727 Mb |
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Love Happens (Hi Def) | Resolution: 1920x1040 px | Total Size: 8137 Mb |
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Love Happens (Hi Def) | Resolution: 1280x688 px | Total Size: 4476 Mb |
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Love Happens (DVD) | Resolution: 720x304 px | Total Size: 1397 Mb |
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Movie Photos:
We have taken some photos of "Love Happens". They represent actual movie quality.
Visitors Review
docudrama (20 May 2013)
Why did Jennifer accept this role?
My wife took me to this movie. I thought I'd like seeing Jennifer,which I did. But the movies sucks. Other than Jennifer, it's repulsiveand insulting.Repulsive: The smarmy snake-oil salesman. What a creep. Insulting: All the touchy-feely men talking about their emotions, allthe time.After 3 minutes of seeing Mr. A-OK whine and cry, I just wanted to walkout.Bottom line: This movie makes you want to slug the first snake-oilsalesman you see. Jennifer is too well off to lower herself to thislevel.
(20 May 2013)
S**T Happens
I'm sorry, I usually don't like to speak negatively of something which people worked very hard to produce, but this just didn't make it for me. This film started out with much promise but devolved into a formulaic and not very interesting yawner. The main problem, I believe, was that there just wasn't any chemistry between Jennifer Anniston and Aaron Eckhart. The both give it the old college try, as does Charlie Sheen, who was convincing in his role. Maybe it was the script. All I know is that the gears never meshed in this.It would've been better if someone had taken the money it took to create this and sent it to Haiti instead!
deliriumskid (20 May 2013)
Sorry Aaron but this movie sucked!
I lovek Aaron, but this was the worst movie.If they could only not have Aniston speak, I think it might have worked. She is the worst actress!Wait for the DVD.
Gordon-11 (20 May 2013)
Does love just happen?
This film is about a self help guru going through a journey of selfdiscovery after meeting an intriguing woman."Love Happens" seems to be a romantic comedy, but it is in fact more ofa drama. I find the drama bits much better developed and more engagingthan the romance bit. The pacing is quite slow for the romance side, asthe first date still has not happened 28 minutes after the movie. Andtwo minutes later, all of a sudden, she accepts the date and the dateis actually finished. The progression from being hostile to each other,to accepting the date is so unexplained. And why they fall in love isnot explained either. Love doesn't just happen, it needs to bud, benurtured and savoured. None of these are shown in "Love Happens". Itfeels as if the drama subplot about Burke sorting out his problems isthe main plot, while the romance is a minor afterthought. Though "LoveHappens" is enjoyable to watch, it would have been much better marketedas a drama.
becky-146 (07 May 2013)
Zzzzzzzz
Jennifer Aniston was exactly the same character that she has been inother movies. She just doesn't have a lot of range.I didn't see any chemistry between the romantic leads.The story felt very contrived, and the acting of supporting characterswas mediocre.The background music was so cheesy I almost had to turn the movie off.The kiss at the end almost made me ralph.It was depressing, and if you have had anyone close to you die don'twatch it, it will bring you down.I'm struggling to find anything I liked about this movie.
Duane (07 May 2013)
If you smarter than a turnip...
That's right. This isn't a movie for the brain dead zombies who want to suspend reality and live in a fantasy for 2 hours. (Which I LOVE to do.) It's a movie that makes you think, if you're still open to that sort of thing. It wasn't a movie I wanted to see and Jennifer Anniston isn't an actress I care to watch, but I'm sure glad I followed my wife to it. Romantic Comedy...NO. Who thought THAT up? This one is important, can make a better person out of you and even give you some insight into the daily struggles of people you may encounter unknowingly on anyday. It's a meaningful, thought-provoking movie. It's definitely worth seeing but will be missed by far too many because of the 'Critic's' who have misplaced its proper category and/or intent. Don't miss out on this true Gem.
(18 April 2013)
A little bit different kind of romance
One of the extras shows how most of the key scenes in this romance were faked with digital backgrounds. That kind of destroyed it all for me a little bit. But no matter, really. This is an offbeat film, set in an offbeat locale: Seattle, about a self-help guru who defeats his own demons and hooks up with 40-year-old Jennifer Aniston in the process. I didn't see much real chemistry between the two and that may be this recent film's biggest flaw. Also, releasing a tropical parrot into the "wild" of northwestern freezing Seattle was not a cool thing to do, even if it was all digital special effects. The whole movie seems to take place in a hotel ballroom, though not really. Even so, I did shed a few tears during the big dramatic ending. You will too.
(18 April 2013)
Kind of....
This review is from: Love Happens (DVD) I looked forward to this movie coming out on DVD and I was a little disappointed that the preview and trailer were a lot better. They made the movie look funny, but it really wasn't.
george.schmidt (20 March 2013)
Dreadfully disappointing romantic dramedy; Carroll Lynch saves from disaster.
LOVE HAPPENS (2009) ** Aaron Eckhart, Jennifer Aniston, Dan Fogler,John Carroll Lynch, Martin Sheen, Judy Greer, Frances Conroy.Dead-in-the-water romantic dramedy about a grieving self-help speaker(Eckhart, seemingly ill-at-ease and decidedly miscast as amild-mannered type)_whose seminar lands him in Seattle to promote andwinds up falling for an earthy florist (Aniston coasting on her charms)with predictability and pathos. Blame the connect-the-dots-screenplayby novice director Brandon (Son of Joe) Camp and Mike Thompson thatteeters into maudlin awfulness. Carroll Lynch saves the film from beinga complete disaster as one of Eckhart's attendees who has lost hisyoung son; he steals the film.
Monty2 (20 March 2013)
Pretty insulting and contrived
I was fairly surprised at just how unpleasant this movie was. The onlythings I liked about it were Eckhart, some nice visuals, and the everso brief cameo of Gaeta from Battlestar Galactica.About halfway through I started thinking 'this has the most productplacements since the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still'. Thenthey went to Home Depot to 'cure' a guy with a shopping spree. There'shardly any romance in it at all, but a ton of advertising and even aband I never heard of is given a lot of screen time that felt awkward.Aniston looked either near asleep or downright miserable during almostevery scene. There are badly edited scenes like when they see hermother; it had zero point.I especially recommend that anyone dealing with any real emotionaltrauma avoid this one. The cheap shots and ridiculously bland advicegiven will only make someone feel worse.
(17 March 2013)
Helpful
This review is from: Love Happens (DVD) I found this movie to be extremely helpful in the time I needed support the most. My little brother died obout a month ago. When I came home from the funeral this movie was in my mailbox from Netflix. I didn't even realize it was partly about letting go and taking the time needed to mourn the loss of our loved ones. I'm so thankful for watching this movie.
Kat (16 March 2013)
Disregard the critics
This movie gets panned by the critics who just about wet themselves to praise "The Informant"--which was by far the worst movie I've seen all year...A lovely, romantic comedy--great for date night. I liked the movie and my boyfriend enjoyed it as well. The leading actors had good chemistry and the supporting roles were well played. Jennifer Anniston is always watchable and this role was no different.
(28 February 2013)
Depressing
It's a shame for Jennifer Aniston to be in this movie. It's very depressing, it should be called Death Happens. It was more about death and how he was teaching people to deal with losing a loved one when he hadn't dealt with his own wifes death at all. So what he was doing was covering up his own pain by starting up this workshop/book so that he could help someone else and by doing that he was blocking out his own misery and pain. It didn't rock my boat
(27 February 2013)
Boring and Dark Movie; Love Happens is a disappointment
Love Happens is one of the movies I've seen this year that have beendisappointing and boring. You think it is a romantic comedy and it'snot. I went to the movie to have a good time and did not want a "dark"movie to see. Love Happens actually left us feeling sad and out ofsorts at the end of the movie. I couldn't wait for it to be over with.How sad that Jennifer Anniston accepted this script. She is crankingout too many movies lately and most are not any good. The Breakup wasthe only decent film she's ever done. I rated Love Happens a 3 andadvise that you don't waste your time or money seeing it. Why go to amovie to feel bad?
L (20 February 2013)
Painful to watch and a waste of money
OMG...this movie was painful to watch, and I normally find Jen A movies cute, even though they're very formulaic. My boyfriend fell asleep during the film, and I found my eyes getting heavy. The movie had it's tear jerking moments, but the movie was trying too hard, and the story was still super boring. It's almost as if they were trying to make Jennifer Aniston's character into some kind of muse. She barely knew the lead male, yet was able to help him fight his deep dark demonds in less than 72 hours (and they didn't speak for 1 day of it, because they were fighting). Who needs a therapist when Jennifer Aniston's character is afoot. You could save a lot on therapy bills. Wait for DVD release. You'll thank me. If you have trouble sleeping one night, just play the DVD. I just hope Jennifer A starts choosing better scripts. If she keeps it up, she'll eventually have to pay us to watch her movies.
(19 February 2013)
Clear Blu, average movie, a slam to Seattle & Vancouver both
It is not that I would say this is a bad love story film, just run-of-the-mill with Eckhart at the helm (and I enjoy his movies). Technically it was a mess though.The story follows a self-help guru as he travels to Seattle (Vancouver subbed but the large volume of CGI shorted both of the cities). As he performs his schtick, we are made aware of his tragic back story, family issues and other assorted concerns. Aniston appears as the random love interest that wants to fix him all whilst dumping her current boyfriend. The Blu clarity is solid throughout, to such a point the CGI was almost irritating. They green screened every single outdoor shot, sometimes using horrible pictures of Seattle blown up outside hotel windows (so poorly done that the same window over two scenes had two different views of the American skyline). The DTS was uneventful with the exception of a few crowd scenes in the meeting halls. The special features were bittersweet and include:* Giving Romance a New Look, 3 minutes. Essentially an ad plug for the FX company - helps one realize how much CGI was in this story.* Deleted scenes, 6 cuts totaling 13 minutes, in HD. They cut out the majority of one character's role (Aniston's loser boyfriend) - glad they went, nothing worth watching unless you are a fan of Joe Anderson (Amelia, Across the Universe).* Commentary, these guys were so self-congratulating I called it quits at the 16 minute mark. * BD Live, only feature is to save clips and share them with your buddies, nothing else.The performances are fine, but the story just felt forced. When you see the Vancouver skylines it feels like a waste that they screened them out (beautiful mountains). The Seattle shots look miserable at times so there was definitely no location chemistry. To me, this BD is a renter as you will get a clear pic and sound, but lame supplements with a fair amount of plot misery make for a lower rating. English DTS, Descriptive Video Service, Spanish, French with English SDH, Spanish and French subs.
gradyharp (02 February 2013)
Death, where is thy sting...
It is not often that 'popular romance comedies' have the courage totackle issues like death and grieving and make the story work, but suchis the case with LOVE HAPPENS, a good little film written (with MikeThompson) and directed by Brandon Camp. And it helps to have a solidcast of popular and well-schooled actors to pull off a subject thatmight make a few people uneasy. Dr. Burke (Aaron Eckhart) is a seminar man who runs a business with hiscolleague Lane (Dan Fogler) based on helping people cope with grief - agroup called 'A-Okay'. Burke is a popular guru, more so because of hisreason for ministering to grievers: his beloved wife died three yearsago in a car accident so Burke can speak about grief from experience.But it seems he is running away from something, too. Most of hisfollowers don't notice, but one man Walter (John Carroll Lynch) is aparticularly needy client and seems to pick up on something missing inBurke's seminars. Burke is currently in Seattle (his deceased wife'shome) with his manager Lane (who is cooking up all manner of marketingtools and opportunities for the A-Okay team). Burke happens toliterally bump into Eloise (Jennifer Aniston) who owns a flowerbusiness catering to the hotel in which the seminar is being staged.Eloise seems addicted to losers, and is freshly apart from her latestaffair: she is comforted and supported by her sole employee, thesomewhat dingy Marty (Judy Greer in a terrific cameo), who encouragesEloise to look for some stability in her next mate. Burke is attracted to Eloise but is so out of practice in the datinggame that he comes across as vulnerable - a trait that makes Eloisewary at first and attracted later. The odd things the two do in themating dance finally result in the uncovering of the secret problemsBurke carries. Refreshingly enough the film does not sell out with ahappy-wappy ending, just a few thoughts that are particularly tender. Eckhart and Aniston are a terrific team on the screen: both are lovablewithout resorting to being sappy and repetitive. Fogler and Greer areexcellent as are such fine actors as Martin Sheen and Frances Conroy inmemorable cameos. There is a lot to like in this film that makes it astep above the usual 'chick flicks' that were more popular in theaters.Perhaps audiences, sadly, have difficulty hearing about grieving, butdeath, as well as Love, happens! Grady Harp
bopdog (01 February 2013)
A few joys, but mostly clunky and clumsy clichés. Literary license is fine, but you still need to do it right...
There is an enjoyable aspect to some of this film. Truly. JenniferAnniston does have great charm. And with any rom-com, you'd have to bea complete curmudgeon to not feel at least a BIT of joy when peoplefind even a touch of love. OR... the film could be very clumsy, andotherwise not very well thought out. That way, one's joy would bediminished. This movie was a mix. If you are an Anniston fan, you'llhave some moments of happiness. But if you are at all demanding ofplots, and require theatrical devices to have a FEEL of realism (evenwith the conscious knowledge that it's a film, and a fiction, etc.),and the writer-directors to have a deft touch, you'll probably be morecynical. Maybe you won't throw your popcorn at the screen, but youwon't be throwing roses, either.For better or worse, I am a psychologist by training. I worked in thefield for years, and have been in thousands of seminars, lectures, andgroup sessions that would one way or another qualify as "therapy."Thus, my criticism of the film's psychological machinations may beunfair. The psycho-dynamics within the plot of this rom-com cumroman-a-clef (anyone else see a veneer of "Tony Robbins" when seeingthe male lead and his lecture room entrances? Robbins is nothing likethe character, so no aspersions are cast in this commentary. It's justthe superficial trappings the movie paints over the plot setting thatbrought Robbins' public persona, perhaps unfairly, to mind).I never did understand what Martin Sheen's character was. At first Ithought he was Burk's father, then his father-in-law, then father, etc.Very muddy character sketch. I sort of got that he was upset with Burk,but why? And the tired old device of Sheen's character stepping intothe back of the auditorium at the end while Burk had his emotionalbreakdown was so clumsy that at first I didn't believe I was actuallyseeing it. And what the hell kind of breakdown did Burk have, anyway?What was all the huge drama about? That HE was driving the car when hiswife died? THAT'S the secret to Burk's aloofness and inability to havea relationship? Wha...??? That was so contrived... It made no sense.And then the "slow clap" while Sheen immediately and conveniently stepson stage and forgives Burk, and all is healed and well? Seriously, Iwas embarrassed for all the actors when that stunt was pulled. I LIKEemotionally intense movies, even when they approach sentimentality. Butthis was so clunky, and so poorly edited, I honestly thought, while Iwatched it, that some scenes were accidentally cut from the copy wewere being shown. But given that this was the first day of its release,I realised that was unlikely.The Seattle location consisted of multiple shots of the Space Needle,and the Pike Place Market sign. Over and over and over, as if we neededto be reminded constantly that this was supposed to be Seattle. Ohwait--- we did. This was Canada, not Seattle. The landmark shots werethere to fool us. Fair enough, in a fiction. But it was so2-dimensional and over-done it was laughable, and made me suspicious.Hey producers--- learn a lesson, please: 350 quick shots of two orthree downtown hackneyed Seattle landmarks from different angles doesnot a city location make.
(21 January 2013)
Great all around with a more mature version of Aniston
I completely disagree with the negative reviews. This movie not only held my attention, it brought me to tears in a couple of places, and on balance I could find nothing worthy of negative note.Jennifer Aniston is gifted in so many ways, including her acting, and I found Aaron Eckhart to be every bit the lead actor whom she was supporting. This movie has color, plot, emotional content, and even the token parrot (I smile, the parrot fit perfectly).Sure there are a few more of less pro forma moments, but my bottom line is I would watch this again and be glad to do so.Other moviews in thei vein I have reviewed and recommend:The American PresidentGroundhog Day (Special Edition)DaveSpanglishMaid in ManhattanBlind DateThe Last Samurai (Full Screen Edition)Bride and Prejudice (Musical)De-Lovely: The Cole Porter Story (Musical)Beyond the Sea : Widescreen Edition (Musical)and of course everything else with Jennifer Aniston and everything with Sandra Bullock except Celebrity II.
poetman00 (21 January 2013)
What I think Jen should do
OK first of all I love Jennifer Aniston. But she needs to go back toTV. She's not a character actress. She's a personality that peoplereally like. She could host her own show or at least star in one whileplaying a character much like Rachel from "Friends". That's what shewas good at and we were fine with that. We loved her for it. She won anEmmy for it...I mean, Hello. And if she wants to do movies, they shouldbe much like "The Good Girl" which I thought was brilliantly acted. Ihated this movie and how cheaply it was written. I thought Jen lookedgorgeous through out the whole thing but It didn't do anything for me.Even the title feels as if they came up with it on the spot and decidedto go around filming at stores and concerts and flower shops.
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