“Leap Year” has good acting, but its unoriginal plot falls short.
“Leap Year” is a romantic comedy about a woman who goes to Ireland to meet up with her boyfriend, but experiences some roadblocks along the way. Bad weather, bad luck and a handsome but bitter Irish local all stand in the way of getting to her boyfriend right away.
Anna (Amy Adams) is a no-nonsense young woman who has been dating Jeremy (Adam Scott) for four years. A friend leads Anna to believe he is proposing and she is all ready to say yes, but her hopes are dashed when Jeremy only offers her a pair of diamond earrings. Immediately after the dinner, Jeremy needs to leave for Dublin for a medical conference. Anna’s father then tells her about an old Irish tradition where on Leap Day, a woman can ask a man to marry her and he has to say yes. Thus, Anna’s journey ensues.
Anna has trouble with her trip from the beginning. A storm causes the plane to land in another part of Ireland and she frantically searches for a ride to Dublin. She finds a pub/inn where the owner, Declan (Matthew Goode), is also a cab driver in his spare time and agrees to take Anna to Dublin.
From the beginning, the two characters don’t get along, mainly because of their personality differences. Anna is proud and an optimist whereas Declan is wary of the world around him. They run into transportation troubles and the trip to Dublin takes longer than expected. Along the way, Anna and Declan come to know each other and understand each other better, causing them to question their own choices in life.
“Leap Year” is a predictable romantic comedy with few heartfelt scenes. Only its moments of sharp comedy — thanks to the Irish characters of Goode and the superstitious locals — and the acting of both Adams and Goode save the movie.
Anna could be hated since she acts like a know-it-all with Declan, but Adams plays her character so sweetly that she emits sympathy and becomes a character worth rooting for. Although Anna is an intelligent and successful woman, the movie dumbs her down as she travels through Ireland. The story puts her through a series of mishaps, poor choices, all trying to get a laugh from the audience at Anna’s expense, but it doesn’t work. However, in the end, the film retains the ability to make audiences care whether Anna gets with the right man.
As good as the chemistry is between the charismatic Adams and Goode, they are unable to help the story along much. “Leap Year” ends up being a predictable, formulaic romantic comedy that does not properly reflect the acting prowess of two people as talented as Adams and Goode.
Rating: 2/5
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