It’s hard to understand how a book exposing the hypocrisy and immorality of pharmaceutical marketing could be the basis for a romantic comedy, but Love and Other Drugs is surprising in so many ways.
The lead character (played by Jake Gyllenhall) is based on Jamie Reidy, the man who wrote the book Hard Swell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman.He is a red hot salesman; whether he is selling stereos, mobiles, or his charms, he succeeds using his charisma and energy to seduce all, even grandmas. He’s the family drifter who will never settle for anything less than hedonism and is the perfect empty vessel for Pfizer’s sales training techniques. The first act delves into the sales techniques they use, and it is a real eye opener and stomach churner.
It is while posing as a doctor he is entranced by Georgie (Annie Hathaway) who explodes onto the screen and soon turns Jamie’s world, and the movie, on its head. She is sassy, brutally honest and viciously verbose and wants nothing more in her life than casual encounters, and figures a drug salesman is as empty as she can get.
Two people, madly in lust, committed to nothing more than gratification and avoiding commitment … what more could Gen X want?
The truth is, Maggie is in stage of one of Parkinson’s disease, and Jamie is in stage two of his fledgling career; Viagra is about to hit the charts, so for both of them, love’s not on the menu. But with two such attractive talents burning for each other, love triumphs. After all, who could resist Jake Gylenhall’s bedroom eyes or Anny Hathaway’s sumptuous smile?
If the left turn from satire to romance is a surprise, then so is the sensitive way Parkinson’s is treated. The scene where they visit a Parkinson’s convention is hilarious and moving. The sufferers joke about anything from opening jars to happy endings. It’s that sort of film. And Jamie’s over-reaction to wanting to save Maggie is the sort of heroics sufferers admire and admonish.
The plot does take predictable turns, but does them with style. Romantic comedies rely on chemistry, and Gylenhall and Hathaway — reuniting after Brokeback Mountain — produce a combination which rivals nitro and glycerine; it is dazzling to watch. Hathaway sparkles from her first scene and Jake does all he can to keep up. The way they crack through their wordy dialogue is a treat to watch, and the movie revels in their happiness, with languid scenes of naked lovers talking. They are so good that there is no need for the annoying frumpy older brother, Josh (Josh Randall), but Hank Azaria is strong as the disillusioned, corruptible doctor.
This is a unique romantic comedy which pulls no punches; while its snappy dialogue, take on the drug industry and themes of illness are a definite modern approach, it is still the all-important chemistry of the two leads which carry it. These two don’t just act their parts; the crackling you’ll hear is what’s left off the screen.
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