Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here.
There's a name I want all of you to know. He's a supporting actor in the new Edward (GLORY, THE LAST SAMURAI, BLOOD DIAMOND, DEFIANCE) Zwick dramedy LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS (adapted from the book Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman by Jamie Reidy), and his name is Josh Gad. Now, I don't know the man personally, never met him, interviewed him, etc.--I'm sure he's a lovely man. I kinda recognized him from being in THE ROCKER, 21, and a recent episode of "Bored to Death," but that's it. In LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS he has one of the highest-profile roles of his career as Josh, the brother of Jake Gyllenhaal's pharmaceutical-rep character Jamie. Here's why you should know him: because he nearly, single-handedly destroys what is an otherwise really wonderful film about relationships in the face of medical adversity.
Jamie is the film's comic relief, except you know what? The film is already plenty funny without him. The character could have been easily extracted from the movie, and no one would even know he was gone. He dishes out one liners and disgusting behavior in a work that has plenty of laughs and amusing compromised morals thanks to great turns by the likes of Oliver Platt, Hank Azaria, Judy Greer, George Segal, and the late, great Jill Clayburgh. I'm sorry, but with supporting players of that caliber, you don't need a third-rate Jack Black man-child cluttering the screen.
I challenge anyone reading this to tell me what positive vibe Josh Gad adds to this otherwise intelligent, sharp, beautifully acted film. Maybe the fault is in the writing, but I don't think so. And, yes, I feel bad crapping on the guy who has barely registered on my radar before this movie. He's not a movie killer per se; he's more of a mood suicide bomber, who walks into a scene and destroys everything around him. He's not in the movie enough to ruin it completely, but he knocks its integrity down a peg in my book. That's all I'm going to say about him, and now I will review the rest of the film as if he weren't in it.
Gyllenhaal plays an aimless, handsome young man who goes through jobs like some people go through underwear, but he's never had any issues getting laid or dumping women in a way that (usually) doesn't hurt their feelings too much. He's a master at reading people, which is why when an opportunity to sell pharmaceuticals for Pfizer in one of their weakest markets (somewhere in Ohio, if memory serves), he excels once he's got the lay of the land and knows how to get access to doctors who otherwise want nothing to do with reps such as himself. It's especially gratifying to watch him walk into a doctor's office and sweet-talk the receptionists and nurses, including one played by the Queen of Comedy, Judy Greer, to gain access to the drug storage room where they can line up samples of their products.
His mentor and partner in crime in the territory is Bruce (Oliver Platt, who is always so inherently watchable, it scares me sometimes), and the two are both hoping to make enough of an impression in this secondary market to make the move to repping in Chicago. While in the offices of Dr. Knight (Hank Azaria), Jamie meets a patient named Maggie (Anne Hathaway, playing the most fully realized character of her career), and after many unnecessary attempts not to, the pair start up a passionate lust affair. There's a great scene between the two where they finally admit that they're fine with their relationship being purely physical, but behind their eyes, there's a hint that one or both will be falling in love soon.
There's an element to the plot that the filmmakers have gone out their way not to reveal in the trailers, so I'm going to try and talk around it somewhat. But you may want to enter this next section of my review with trepidation if you don't like spoilers. It's not a big plot twist or anything, but something about Maggie. You see, she has health issues and, as you might imagine, it has changed the way she lives her life and managed her relationships. She isn't looking for a man to take care of or feel sorry for her; that's fairly clear. But if there were a way a boyfriend could support her needs without appearing to do so, I think that's what her ideal man would be. Once the extent of her condition is revealed, she immediately tries to give Jamie and out--hell, she practically drop kicks him out the door--and things in their escapist, bedroom-centered life get extremely complicated. In case you hadn't figured this out, there are moments of intense sadness and pain in LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS, alongside a great deal of humor and insight.
Gyllenhaal and Hathaway (who were also a couple in BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN) are so naturally good together that I immediately wish I could see them do a string of films together, playing new and interesting characters each time around. They don't just look good (naked); they radiate affection and sexual playfulness, so much so that you want to just jump into bed with them and start a pillow fight. Wheeee!
When Pfizer introduces Viagra to the world, Jamie's life and career gets a whole lot better. And what I truly appreciated about LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS--and a testament to how strong the screenplay from Zwick, Marshall Herskovitz, and Charles Randolph is--is that the scenes that focus just on Jaime's job are just as enjoyable as the material about him and Maggie. One of the most complex supporting performances comes from Azaria, as a deeply cynical physician who also lets drug reps ply him with drinks, meals, and easy women to make their sales. He couldn't care less about the medical benefits of these drugs at all. He grumbles about insurance companies, patient care, and his shrinking bottom line, and by the end of the film, you actually start to understand why he would take advantage of every free thing the drug companies throw his way.
At its core, LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS is, as the title implies, a love story and a perfect example of one at that. More than that, it's the story of two adults falling in love. Yes, there are complications in the relationship, but they aren't the kind of manufactured, childish bullshit that 95 percent of the world's romantic comedies seem to thrive upon. These are real-world issues between two flawed individuals who are struggling to find a way to be together against adversities that could easily tear them apart. As upsetting as it might be to see them clumsily maneuver their way around the early stages of this serious relationship, because these two actors are as strong as they've ever been, it's also highly entertaining. LOVE AND OTHER DRUGS is the film adults should make a point to see over this long weekend. As a bonus, for the first half of the movie, you couldn't pay Hathaway to keep her clothes on. So, there's that. Enjoy the hell out of this one, people.
-- Capone
capone@aintitcool.com
Follow Me On Twitter
