“Laws of attraction” review

If I had the duty of choosing a movie to close an English course second term I would do it with “Laws of attraction”. Although some critics might consider it as a second level film, its values as a source of good expressions and a very specific vocabulary used in legal matters are unquestionable. Moreover, the story is based on an almost impossible love but with a happy ending.

The movie presents us a brilliant and unbeatable divorce lawyer –Julianne Moore- but with some problems of self-confidence, preparing one of her cases. It’s the case that the other part has hired a new and unknown attorney –Pierce Brosnan- that strikes her from the very beginning. Both counsellors have never lost a case and she flirts with the idea of defeating him, not only for the sake of her client but also for her competitive spirit. Since Brosnan has just started with the case he asks the judge for a continuance and he gets it, not without first showing that he’s going to be a hard bone to crack because he wins his first battle demonstrating that the other part lawyer has no backup for her claim.

After the first trial, they meet in quite more hearings with different sentences according to the judges’ criteria. In fact, the movie does not give us many clues about how they handle the cases but, all of a sudden, a new woman client rises and it seems that Brosnan steals her from Moore. In any case, Moore manages to take the case of the husband. After a several sessions, they try to end amicably, but the fact is that they both ask for the same Irish Castle. The judge requests the attorneys to gather evidence to untie the knot.

I wouldn’t like to spoil the movie saying how she –Moore- feels wounded or gets the divorce, but let me finally draw your attention to the wonderful Irish sights that can be seen on it or the inside and outside Castle views or, even more, some of the stereotypes about the Irish people and their culture. If you miss this film you will not probably miss anything unless you are interested in Law vocabulary but, why not spend a couple of hours in front of the telly forgetting your worries and feeling that, at the end, everything will be cosy, warm and pleasant?.

Carletto