January 16, 2012

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If you want a feel-good, bring a slight tear to your eye movie, go see New Year's Eve. If you hate cheesy romance and big name actors and movies with a poorly strung together plot, skip it.



If you take it for what it is, it's not a horrible film. Garry Marshall brings back some of the actors from his Valentine's Day ensemble, including Ashton Kutcher and Jessica Biel. And just as in the February 14 film, this December 31 film has several plot lines with some intertwined to reach a culmination, this time on one of the biggest nights of the year, or rather end of the year celebration.



Everyone is gathering in Times Square and in New York for New Year's celebrations. Claire Morgan (Hilary Swank) is the newly named VP of Times Square and is in charge of the  ball drop. Her confidant is a security guard Brendan (Ludacris). She is stressing out about the drop and the concert and her impending 'appointment' at midnight. Meanwhile, rock-pop star Jensen (Jon Bon Jovi) is getting ready for two shows, one at a big-wig masquerade ball and the other in Times Square. But he is more focused on getting his ex-fiancee Laura (Katherine Heigel) back.  She's the head chef at the ball and is very angry at Jensen for breaking her heart.



Across town, Paul (Zac Efron) is a messenger who is just looking for a big party to attend for New Year's and he's trying to convince his New Year's-hating friend Randy (Ashton Kutcher) to come out.  Paul meets Ingrid (Michelle Pfeiffer), a secretary for a record-label owner (Jon Lithgow), who has a list of New Year's resolutions she wants to do before midnight, with the first one being quit her job. She 'hires' Paul to use his imagination and help her accomplish her list with a reward of tickets to the ball. But Randy is trapped in an elevator with Elise (Lea Michelle), who is just trying to get to Jensen's show to be a backup singer.



Up in Connecticut is Sam (Josh Duhamel), attending his friend's wedding and trying to get back to New York to give a speech at his job's party (the ball - we find out later). He also has a possible date at midnight. Apparently, last year he kissed a stranger at midnight, she left him with a note to meet him at the same place the following year at midnight, when hopefully her life could get back in order.



In another part of town, Kim (Sarah Jessica Parker) is planning a low-key New Year's with her teen daughter, Hailey (Abigail Breslin). However, Hailey has other plans to be with some of her friends and finally get her first kiss at midnight.



In a hospital, Stan Harris (Robert DeNiro) is on his dead bed and a nurse is there to hold his hand (Halle Berry). He just wants to see the ball drop at midnight one last time.



And in another hospital, Tess (Jessica Biel) and Griffin (Seth Meyers) Bryne and Grace (Sarah Paulson) and James (Til Schweiger) Schwab are two couples trying to have the first baby of the new year in the hospital, so they can win cash.



You still with me? And so it all goes on until the ball drops. We learn who Sam is trying to meet at midnight, and it's not you who think. You also get a tear in your eye with Stan's child comes to spend the ball drop with him as he takes his last breath. And you'll roll your eyes when Randy chases after Elise to give her some 'good luck' bracelet before she performs on stage. And you'll get annoyed when Jensen sings only one song in Times Square and then runs to get back together with Laura, so he lets Elise sing one by herself.



But it's all in good fun, and the blooper reel before the credits start rolling is pretty funny, if not funnier than the entire film itself.  Gary Marshall has done it again with his holiday-infused ensemble cast. I'm curious as to the next holiday he plans to ruin...I mean celebrate with random celebrities.



Oh and look out for cameos from Alyssa Milano, Common, Penny Marshall and Matthew Broderick.

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3 stars.