Love and Other Drugs

Jamie (Gyllenhaal) has never been the best at anything - well, except for wooing a different woman into his bed every night.  It's easy to see why this talent was overshadowed by two doctors and a multi-million dollar businessman in the family.  It is his wealthy brother, Josh who suggests Jamie put his selling bravura to a better use and join the world of pharmaceutical sales. And so, he embarks on a journey to small town USA to sell Zoloft to the physician elite.  He manages to get his foot in the doors of doctors' offices through the hearts of their easily manipulated secretaries. It is in one such office, as he poses as a shadowing intern to promote the benefits of Zoloft, that he meets the free-spirited and artistic Parkinsons patient, Maggie (Hathaway).  In the short time following their meeting Jamie manages to offend and outrage Maggie with the coming to light of his doctor act all while he attempts a shot at acquiring her phone number.  She instead storms away and he is left to weasel her phone number out of another secretary with flattery and empty promises.

They meet up in the coffee shop where Maggie works and the two partake in some back and forth banter - touching on Jamie's inability to face the reality of his life and Maggie's woe-is-me complex due to her illness before they rush back to her apartment for an afternoon quickie on Maggie's floor. Afterwards they form a sex-only relationship and agree to expect nothing more from each other.  Over the next few days, however, Maggie somehow breaks down Jamie's wildly lustful relationship patterns and he begins to throw phone calls and drop-in dinners into the mix.  Despite Maggie's protesting, Jamie continues to pursue more emotional ties with her until she relents and agrees to an actual relationship. 

It's a little suspect that Jamie leaves his falandering ways behind within days of meeting Maggie, but since the rest of the film is dependent upon this happening, I'll let it go.  Both characters are likeable with little quirks that make the viewer interested.  The film tries to go deep, addressing the sacrifice required in loving a person with a serious illness, allowing onseself to experience love in spite of fear, and believing in one's own potential.  Their relationship attempts to meet each other's needs and function in the face of insecurities and I can appreciate watching their learning process.

Love and Other Drugs is definitely a chick flick with a little more depth that makes me like it more than the average chick flick.  Since every chick flick is complete with "funny" friend LAOD uses Jamie's brother, Josh to function in this role.  He is overweight, always messy, and quite vulgar.  His presence would not have been missed.  While some light humor is necessary amidst the heavier subject matter, the character of Josh is a parody and serves to make his scenes as awkward as possible.

Gyllenhaal and Hathaway are enjoyable to watch and the film makes a good attempt at forming a worthwile relationship for the two.  There is a feeling of wanting more from their characters, however, in order to embrace the deeper themes the film throws at us.