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Rating:  -
I rented this movie because I couldn't find anything else in, and low and behold I actually came across a movie that has a nice little message tucked into it: life is not a series of planned events. The movie has one heck of a cast with the likes of Holly Hunter and Kathy Bates, but the actresses are little more than supporting, second-fiddle players to the vastly out of her league Brittany Murphy. Don't get me wrong, Murphy certainly has some potential as an actress, but every movie she does is a variation on the same weepy lost soul she plays in this movie. She's still the Cher wannabe from Clueless; in fact, the only real acting role she's ever done is Don't Say A Word. The movie is not without its upsides: the plot is a nice little swipe at the reality TV, Jerry Springer world we live in these days and it has real moments of poignancy. Unfortunately, the characters played by Holly Hunter and Kathy Bates, which do have real moments of introspection, just don't work on a larger level; in fact, it often seems like Hunter and Bates were ashamed of these roles -- and they should be, the roles are not worthy of either actress. The real highlight role of this film is that of the unrequited lover, Joyce, played wonderfully by the very freckled Julianne Nicholson. Nicholson is an actress we often see playing these sub-supporting roles who shines everytime. I wish someone would give this woman a role she could sink her teeth into because she would be fantastic. Little Black Book might have been better if it had been played more as a dramatic film with moments of fun, but the director and writers chose instead to do little more than a sitcom with brief moments of drama. Great potential brought down by mis-direction and mis-casting, but with a great Carly Simon soundtrack.
Rating: -
Brittany Murphy is charming in this comedy about a woman trying to find out if her boyfriend is cheating on her. This film was funny and quite original. Brittany Murphy is as always charming in this film, and Holly Hunter has never been funnier. Kathy Bates also stars and she is a riot! However, this film does have some cliches. The direction of this film never gets serious until near the end. The director tries to get to the point, but it seems that he keeps getting distracted by something. But at the end he manages to almost reach his point but still cannot. So this film is quite slow and boring at times. But overall it is enjoyable.
Pros: Quite Original, Funny, Enjoyable Characters, and Watchable.
Cons: Slow At Times, Uneven At Times, Bad Direction.
Overall: **1/2 stars
Rating:  -
I'm not going to put a lot into this review because I don't think this movie is worth it. I admit I wasn't expecting a fantastic movie, and I really only watched it because I heard that Gavin Rossdale had a small part in the movie. (I thought he was so yummy back in the 90s when he was the lead singer of Bush!) Anyway, even his brief appearance didn't make the movie any better, in my opinion.
I didn't care at ALL about the main character, Stacy. She must be very naïve to not have known her boyfriend was still in contact with not one, two, but ALL three of his ex-girlfriends. Especially considering she was practically living with him!
Even after Barb went behind Stacy's back to do the show, "Little Black Book," I still didn't care. She had a chance to do something, anything, to get back at Barb and she didn't even take it! The only person I did feel sorry for in this movie was Joyce, and that was because of how Stacy betrayed her. By the way, what ever happened with Joyce? Did she and Derek get back together?
Ugh, there were other things that went unresolved but I can't think of them at the moment. I just don't think this movie knew what it was about and what to do with what it had. When it ended, all I could do was say, "What?" It could have been good, had it stayed with one story line.
Rating:  -
****
I just watched "Little Black Book". It was both entertaining and thought provoking in that it makes the viewer think about morality---what would I do if in the same situation as the main character in this movie?
If you had suspicions about your partner, AND had a job that required you to come up with creative and titillating ideas (talk show associate producer) AND were obsessively curious about your partner's past---what would you do? Would you violate their privacy, given the incredible pressure to do so, or would you remain ignorant, trust, and come up with an alternate idea for your show? The show here is a sleezy Jerry-Springer-esque show, just to increase the pressure for the main character, played by Brittany Murphy.
The movie was entertaining because of a good performance by Brittany Murphy, and good roles played by the familiar and talented Holly Hunter and Kathy Bates.
This is not soley or even mainly a young person's movie, as one might think from the title and DVD cover. It is in some ways, the modern equivalent of a "morality play", and therefore has more to offer than the average DVD rental or purchase.
I liked it because it made me think. And because it was about personal strength, not just a typical romance. And about truth.
The idea person who would enjoy this is probably a middle-aged woman (Carly Simon plays a small but pivotal role in the plot) or anyone who wants to think about her/his role, lifestyle, and morality in modern times. However, I think men and young people would enjoy it too. It would be especially beneficial and fun for people of mixed generations to view and discuss their diverse perspectives, which will probably differ by gender, on the choices made by the characters in this movie.
You probably can't go wrong by buying or renting "Little Black Book"; however, I absolutely do not view this movie as appropriate for young people---the moral issues are advanced, plus the sleezy talk shows that the main character works for are realistically portrayed but too tawdry for children to view.
****
Rating: -
This movie examines the lives of a woman, her boyfriend, and several of the past women in his life after they are "discovered" on his palm pilot. Brittany Murphy stars as the suspicious lover who is egged on by her co- worker, who is played by Holly Hunter, to look into her boyfriends palm pilot to find out about his past relationships. She gives in to the temptation and she doesn't like what she sees.
The plot of this movie is a little bit more original than other films. No secret love letters are found here- the device that exposes everything is a palm pilot. And the different performers in the movie are brought together in the end as part of a talk show episode. The show happens to be one where Brittany Murphy is employed. This has the makings for a halfway interesting movie, but it doesn't quite succeed.
Of all the mishaps in this film, the ones that bother me most are the mundane dialogue and the unreal and contrived parts of the script. Throughout the movie, we are forced to listen to Brittany Murphy as she narrates some scenes and tries to communicate what she is feeling to the other women (who do not know she is dating their ex- boyfriend). The script isn't funny at all, even though the movie is billed as a romantic comedy. And the fact that the other women include a brainless model and a gynecologist is contrived and unreal. Also, it bothered me that the main actor in the movie, Ron Livingston (the boyfriend) is only shown on the screen for about ten to fifteen minutes tops. He deserved more time than this, since he is one of the main parts of the plot.
This is a weak movie any way you cut it, and most people will probably find it forgettable. I have seen worse, yes, but I have also seen better attempts at romantic comedies than this one. With a few exceptions (like Holly Hunter and Kathy Bates) this movie is a throwaway- the type that will be completely forgotten by everyone about a year after its release.
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