"Valentine's Day" features Academy Award-winner Jamie Foxx, Academy Award- nominee Queen Latifah, and at times seems like a cast of thousands involved in various and interlocking love stories.
Foxx plays a sportscaster at a Los Angeles TV station, who, because of staff shortages, is required to spend Valentine's Day filing reports about things related to love. Another major storyline has florist Ashton Kutcher proposing to his businesswoman girlfriend, Jessica Alba , which produces unexpected consequences. Then there's a schoolboy, Bryce Robinson, who has a crush on his hot teacher, Jennifer Garner, who is head over heels over a handsome doctor, Patrick Dempsey, who she doesn't know is married.
Oh, did I mention office worker, Topher Grace, who’s smitten by temp Anne Hathaway, who is moonlighting as a phone sex worker? Latifah is Hathaway’s boss, but has little to do here. But she's not alone.
There are so many stars in this picture: Julia Roberts, George Lopez, Shirley MacLaine, Jessica Biel, Kathy Bates, Taylor Swift, Hector Elizondo and Bradley Cooper are among those vying for screen time. And it's hard to keep track of who's loving who.
Thus, there's little character development, few unexpected plot twists, and most of the stories are resolved the way you'd like them to be.
Veteran director Garry Marshall ("Pretty Woman”) keeps things moving at a steady pace and there are a few thoughtful insights on relationships.
But unlike real love, you only get what you expect from "Valentine's Day."
“Valentine’s Day” is rated PG-13 and opens nationwide on Friday
