PREMIERE.COM'S REVIEW (posted 6/20/03)

In the history of film there have been countless romantic comedies, and Alex & Emma is, without a doubt, one of them. Director Rob Reiner knows the genre well, having helmed such hits as When Harry Met Sally . . . and The American President, but this film never quite gels, and the result is a decidedly adequate love story.

Alex & Emma tells the tale of, not surprisingly, Alex and Emma. Alex (Wilson) is a novelist who's gambled his savings away and must produce a draft of his new book in 30 days to pay off a few members of the Cuban mafia. Emma (Hudson) is the lovely young stenographer whom Alex convinces to help him with his book in order to meet the deadline. Not one to hold her tongue, Emma interrupts Alex as he writes, helping him shape the love story on the pages as their own love story blossoms in real life. The film plays in two time periods, switching between the modern-day experiences of Alex and Emma and the 1920s setting of Alex's novel.

Wilson and Hudson star in both segments, affording Hudson the opportunity to take on various roles and various accents, with varying degrees of success. The 1920s scenes are light and fun in a self-mocking and unself-conscious way. Wilson even has the opportunity to branch out into physical comedy, falling over boxes and dancing the flamenco, in some of the most entertaining scenes in the movie.

If only the modern-day moments could play with the same degree of levity. While the 1920s scenes roll merrily along, the titular love story strains under the pressure of meeting romantic-comedy criteria — the witty banter, the vague but meaningful relationship talks, the adorable quirks (She doesn't eat tomato skins! How adorably quirky!). But the main problem is the lack of chemistry between the would-be lovers. Whether it's the actors themselves or just the characters they play, the two never seem to be on the same page. Hudson channels a bit too much of her mother Goldie Hawn's saccharine-sweet cuteness, while Wilson plays Alex with his usual brand of wooden charm.Had the picture maintained a sense of lightheartedness, it may have better lived up to its genre. But, as is, Alex & Emma is flat, neither whimsically romantic nor consistently comedic.

— Laine Ewen