Down with Love

For anyone who's ever enjoyed the corny fluff of Doris Day-Rock Hudson movies--or even gotten a good laugh out of their outdated sexual mores--Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor will earn ear-to-ear grins for their deliciously tongue-in-cheek performances in this affectionate spoof of the pastel giddiness of late '50s/early '60s battle-of-the-sexes romantic comedies. Super-saturated with soundstage-like Technicolor style and directed by Peyton Reed (who proved his talent for good-natured ribbing in 2000's surprisingly droll and self-mocking cheerleader flick Bring It On), Down with Love stars the wide-eyed and witty Zellweger as Barbara Novak, an adorably effervescent, fashionably feminist author in 1962 Manhattan who becomes a bestselling sensation with an empowerment manifesto that encourages women to "enjoy sex the way a man does--á la carte!" When women worldwide are emboldened to challenge the sexual status quo, the chauvinistic, infamously charming playboy-journalist Catcher Block (McGregor) tries to debunk Novak by making her fall head over heels in love. An exuberantly pitch-perfect, whimsically ironic confection thick with ribald sexual innuendo, Down with Love's only shortcoming is an elongated epilogue that falls back on the same clichés the movie mocks. Recommended. [Note: Available in both widescreen and full screen versions, DVD extras include audio commentary by director Peyton Reed, an HBO “making-of” special, costars Ewan McGregor and Renee Zellweger's musical performance “Here's to Love,” six documentary featurettes (about location, set design, costumes, music, Tony Randall's part, and split screen usage), five deleted scenes with optional director commentary, hair and wardrobe tests, a blooper reel, a soundtrack spot, and in-film segments including “Guess My Game” and a “testimonial” to the titular book. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a winning romantic comedy.] (R. Blackwelder)