CinemaSerf

Scots-born Gerard Butler ("Gerry") sports an American accent and comes from Ireland so maybe this isn't going to be the most plausible rom-com? He has a fiery but loving relationship with his wife "Holly" (Hilary Swank) who can't decide if she wants kids or not. Sadly, his active role in the film is cut short and she is left to deal with the consequences of widowhood. She's not alone on her new journey, though. "Gerry" had anticipated her predicament and left some letters to help her get through the grief and set off on a new path - however reluctantly she might want one. At first it's a cake for her birthday then as more arrive we start to appreciate more about how they met and fell in love. Some disastrous karaoke, temper tantrums and his downright hostile relationship with her mother "Patricia" (Kathy Bates). A trip to Ireland helps her to recalibrate though, and a meeting with local musician "William" (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) makes he realise that her life has plenty of legs in it yet. At home, lifelong friend "Daniel" (Harry Connick Jr.) presses his suit and makes her think even more about her future. Can she find love again? Connick is on decent form as is Bates, but the remainder of this is just a bit too sentimental for mea and the humour doesn't land often enough. There's little by way of chemistry on display and though the letter-writing concept is quite original, the execution becomes just a bit too episodic and Butler tries too hard to make this work. It's perfectly watchable, but is too workmanlike to be memorable.