When In Rome

To be honest, I wasn't really expecting much from this chick flick. So many others had let me down in the past, so many I straight out avoided for fear them being total utter shite. But this one, thankfully, is different.
When In Rome, directed by Mark Steven Johnson (Daredevil) with a screenplay by David Diamond and David Weissman (co-writers of Evolution), is another fun popcorn movie with a huge cast. Maybe this should have been the premise for that over inflated train wreck called Valentine's Day. It would have made that one so much more enjoyable.
Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars) is Beth, young and passionate art curator at the Guggenheim Museum. She has just broken up with her boyfriend Brady (Lee Pace - Wonderfalls)(*swoon*) and is happy to focus on her career. Her little sister Joan (Alexis Dziena - Entourage) is about to marry Umberto (Luca Calvani - The International) after meeting him on a plane and only knowing him for two weeks.
The wedding is to be in Rome. Family and friends are shipped out to the romantic city where Beth, after making a bit of a fool of herself, meets Nicholas (Josh Duhamel - Transformers)(*double swoon*). They share a moment in a blackout but soon Beths' hopes come crashing down when she sees Nicholas with a striking brunette.
Armed with a bottle of wine and bare feet, Beth pops into the Fountain De Amore and steals five coins that hopeful romantics have tossed in while wishing for true love.
This ends up to not be a good thing.
The men who threw those coins into the fountain fall under a spell and head over heels in love with Beth, following her around everywhere she goes.
There's sausage king Al Russo (Danny DeVito - Twins), Italian painter Antonio (Will Arnett - Arrested Development), spooky magician Lance (Jon Heder - Napolian Dynamite), and self-obsessed model Gale (Dax Shepard - Kristen's real life fiance).
Beth learns that in order to break the spell she has to either return the coins to the fountain, or give them back to their owners. The problem is, she thinks one coin belongs to Nicholas. Does he really love her or is there some greater force at work?
When In Rome is really enjoyable. Lots of laughs and truly funny moments. Cameo's galore including Don Johnson (Miami Vice) as Beth's dad, Efren Ramirez (Pedro!!) as Lance's video happy friend, Kristen Schaal (Flight Of The Conchords) as a creepy waitress, and Anjelica Houston (The Royal Tenenbaums) as Beth's 'Meryl Streep-esque' boss. For those playing at home, the priest is Keir O'Donnell who played Claire's boyfriend Thomas on Lost - I couldn't remember where he was from for ages! Thank you imdb.com!
Yes, it's predictable, but what rom/com isn't these days? There is a formula that sometimes works and sometimes fails hopelessly. This time it works. I've seen some not too good reviews about the film but hey, perhaps they were expecting something else. It's no life-changer, it's just a whole lot of fun and that's OK with me.
Things I learnt; Dax Shepard is so BUFF and looks great in bright green lycra; Lee Pace needs to do more movies (that is, apart from the up and coming 'Marmaduke' flick).
Seven out of ten.