This Means War

The sign of a good film is that you would watch it again and again. With This Means War I wanted to watch it immediately after I had finished it, much like my favorite book. I couldn't stop going through some of the scenes in my mind. It was funny, entertaining with enough action and a great storyline.

Chris Pine (whom I love and haven't seen anything of his that I hate) and Tom Hardy (new kid on the block for me but discovered he played the bad guy in Star Trek Nemesis which is awesome) are two spies who unknowingly date the same girl but when they find out they pull out all the stops, using the full resources of the CIA, in order to come out on top. Reese Witherspoon (can't go wrong with her either) plays a woman tired of running into her ex who is now getting married without someone of her own. Her friend puts her on a dating website where she meets Hardy and then runs into Pine immediately after that in the video store. Who will she choose?

Pine is just plain adorable, as always playing the suave confirmed bachelor but he does it well. He flirts with Witherspoon just as much as the camera but he still has enough vulnerability to make him likeable. Hardy plays the British more reserved and chivalrous guy. He's safe which translates to boring for Witherspoon but he also has a soft spot. He's the one who wants to settle down, he has a kid. Hardy is playing Callum Bleu's role in Princess Diaries: A Royal Engagement where Pine played the same type of character. Hardy is also very likable but Pine has the edge. Witherspoon  is great in this role and somewhat makes a stand for women dating "like men" but she struggles with it falling back into the more traditional role of a romantic comedy heroine. She had great chemistry with both Pine and Hardy. I loved her harebrained attitude. 

The choice between Pine and Hardy is left to the very last moment and it played out beautiful. It isn't awkward and doesn't feel cheesy. Witherspoon is about to be flattened by the oncoming car and has to choose who to run to, Hardy or Pine who are on opposite sides of the unfinished freeway (what is it with LA and unfinished freeways?). The camera cuts from Witherspoon stuck between the two to an overhead shot of the scene covered in smoke. You have to wait for the smoke to clear before you see the choice she's made. With the romantic relationships tied together nicely, the film ends where it should, on a nice bromance scene with Pine and Hardy. I want to see more of these two.

The film brings together the best of action and romantic comedies with just a touch of bromance into one film. The film has lots of laughs and it's just a joy to watch. It's entertaining but has a good story to back up it up. Everyone gets their happy ending and the viewer is left satisfied. This is definitely a film I need to own.