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P.S. I Love You

EMAILPRINTWarner Bros. Pictures

P.S. I Love You reviews
39
7.2 User Score:

Generally unfavorable reviews

Based on 24 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 89 votes
Read user comments
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Movie Info

Genre(s): Comedy  |  Drama

Written by: Cecelia Ahern (novel)
Steven Rogers
Richard LaGravenese

Directed by: Richard LaGravenese

Release Date:
Theatrical: December 21, 2007
DVD: May 6, 2008

Running Time: 126 minutes, Color

Origin: USA

Summary

RATING: PG-13 for sexual references and brief nudity

Starring Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Gina Gershon, Lisa Kudrow, Harry Connick, Jr., Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kathy Bates, and James Marsters

Holly Kennedy is beautiful, smart, and married to the love of her life--a passionate, funny, and impetuous Irishman named Gerry. So when Gerry's life is taken by an illness, it takes the life out of Holly. The only one who can help her is the person who is no longer there. Nobody knows Holly better than Gerry. So it's a good thing he planned ahead. Before he died, Gerry wrote Holly a series of letters that will guide her, not only through her grief but in rediscovering herself. The first message arrives on Holly's 30th birthday in the form of a cake and, to her utter shock, a tape recording from Gerry, who proceeds to order her to get out and "celebrate herself." In the weeks and months that follow, more letters from Gerry are delivered in surprising ways, each sending her on a new adventure and each signing off in the same way: P.S. I Love You. Holly's mother and her best friends Sharon and Denise begin to worry that Gerry's letters are keeping Holly tied to the past, but, in fact, each letter is pushing her farther into a new future. With Gerry's words as her guide, Holly embarks on a touching, exciting, and often hilarious journey of rediscovery in a story about marriage, friendship, and how a love so strong can turn the finality of death into a new beginning for life. (Warner Bros.)

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

75

Seattle Post-Intelligencer William Arnold

It's an expensive star vehicle that also happens to be a teary, unabashedly sappy, romantic comedy with every element as purely calculated to appeal to a heterosexual woman's romantic fantasies as an episode of "All My Children."

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75

Portland Oregonian Stephen Whitty

On a week when many people just want a good reason to put down their packages and smile for a couple of hours, P.S. I Love You arrives -- signed, sealed and delivered just on time.

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70

The New York Times Manohla Dargis

The film is not a beautiful object or a memorable cultural one, and yet it charms, however awkwardly. Ms. Swank’s ardent sincerity and naked emotionalism dovetail nicely with Mr. LaGravenese’s melodramatic excesses.

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50

Chicago Reader Jonathan Rosenbaum

"B.S. I Love You" would be a more accurate title.

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50

Chicago Tribune Jessica Reaves

One of the most gifted dramatic actors working in movies today, Swank is stunningly ill suited for romantic comedy (or this one, anyway).

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50

The Globe and Mail (Toronto) Rick Groen

This sappy thing is a two-hour cheat that never plays fair for a nanosecond.

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50

The Onion (A.V. Club) Scott Tobias

Working from a novel by Cecelia Ahern, LaGravenese brings some intelligence and maturity to a genre that sorely needs it, but it isn't enough to prop up this long-winded and thoroughly bland romantic comedy.

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50

Washington Post Desson Thomson

If P.S. I Love You proves anything, it's that Hilary Swank may be a great actress, but she can't do cute.

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50

USA Today Claudia Puig

This misguided chick flick jumps through a lot of hoops just to state the obvious: "Life goes on, enjoy the time you have."

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50

The Hollywood Reporter Kirk Honeycutt

The film, written (with Steven Rogers) and directed by Richard LaGravenese, is long and drags in places. But the chief problem is that "P.S." feels like a gimmick.

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50

ReelViews James Berardinelli

Aside from the inept "August Rush," there probably isn't a more clumsily manipulative motion picture out there this holiday season than P.S. I Love You.

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50

Philadelphia Inquirer Steven Rea

Harry Connick Jr. acquits himself best of the lot.

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40

Empire Helen O'Hara

Gerard Butler stars in a very good film where he helps a guarded woman get over a tragedy in her past. It’s called "Dear Frankie" - go rent that instead.

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40

Village Voice Ella Taylor

Hilary Swank, who was not put in this world to simper, does little else as a young wife whose twinkly leprechaun of an Irish husband (Gerard Butler, who's Scottish, but never mind) has died.

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40

Variety John Anderson

"Ghost" with a brogue, "The Notebook" without the burden of old people, this post-life comedy will have the sentimentally challenged weeping openly, while clutching desperately to the pants-legs of boyfriends and husbands who are trying to flee up the aisle.

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38

New York Daily News Jack Mathews

The movie - with some gamy sexual references, a one-night stand and a long look at a stud muffin's naked buns - targets an older female audience. They may see it as unbearably cute, filled with ridiculous coincidences and laced with performances that - like the obnoxious soundtrack music - overstate the mood.

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38

Boston Globe Wesley Morris

Blithely inept.

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38

TV Guide Maitland McDonagh

It's tough going relieved only by some lovely Irish scenery. -

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33

Entertainment Weekly Lisa Schwarzbaum

FYI, there's zero chemistry between P.S. I Love You's two commodified headliners. P.S.: The plus in the harsh grade goes solely to the divine Lisa Kudrow, delivering desperately needed laughs as the twitchy widow's husband-hunting best friend.

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30

Austin Chronicle Marc Savlov

Almost insufferably sufferable. It's a chick flick of the tallest order, with schmaltz galore and the sort of ongoing romantic hubris that practically screams, "This is codswallop, right?"

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30

Los Angeles Times Carina Chocano

You could go see P.S. I Love You, or you could hit yourself on the head with a meat mallet -- it depends on the amount of time and money you want to devote to what amounts to roughly the same experience.

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25

San Francisco Chronicle David Wiegand

P.S.: It stinks.

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25

New York Post Lou Lumenick

A protracted piece of schmaltz, P.S. I Love You looks like a hand-me-down from Sandra Bullock and Drew Barrymore.

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20

Film Threat Matthew Sorrento

Lisa Kudrow, the designated comic relief, has never been so consistently unfunny, and Gina Gershon looks uncomfortable in every (pseudo-)inspirational moment.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this movie is 7.2 (out of 10) based on 89 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

[Anonymous] gave it a3:
I'm a guy who usually doesn't mind romantic comedies. I've found that how much I like a particular rom-com depends upon the comedy and chemistry of the lead characters. In the case of "P.S.", I did not buy into the story one ounce, and I didn't think there was any chemistry between the main characters. It's much too sappy and thick to do without chemistry.

Camille H gave it a10:
Those people who tried to debase this film, I understand that your statements were your opinion but you all are just immature and can't seem to enjoy the movie for what it was....and it was awesome!!!!!!!!!!

rusty r gave it a0:
This is the biggest piece of $hit that I have ever suffered through.

Jordan N gave it a10:
This movie was the best I ever seen.It was touching and amazing.I cried the whole time.You should watch this movie.

Karen M gave it a10:
I thought this movie was amazing. The movie drew me in right from the beginning. I defiantly cried through most of it, but always made many laughs. It had a good balance between it being a romantic comedy with this tragic love story involved. The whole story was very clever and romantic. It’s true that the idea of being in love with this “self-sacrificing ghost” is not new; but this movie shows it in different way by putting a huge and unique twist on it. I also agree by saying that the movie very refreshing. I was very satisfied at the end of it; the whole story line went together well and the setting was perfect. This movie is mostly a chick flick, but I do not think a man would absolutely hate the movie. Hilary Swank did do a terrific job playing this character. She always plays a strong character and in this movie you see her break, and try to become the strong person she is again. The chemistry between her and Gerard Butler was great. It didn’t seem to me that she was trying too hard to get all the emotions out that she needed for this movie. It all seemed natural. In addition, I do agree that the supporting cast (Kathy Bates, Lisa Kudrow, and Harry Connick Jr.) were perfect for this movie.

Megan gave it a10:
Really good film, similar to The Notebook, quite sad though. Cried lots.

Alastair P. gave it a7:
I was surprised at the big laughs that I got. Sure, it was contrived, but it still provided a romantic good time. It's a movie that won't offend anyone .

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