Hopelessly unfunny romantic comedy, hopelessly dull, hopelessly clichéd and just really really all-round bad. Is there any low-budget film out there without a compulsory funny - and sometimes very "wise" - gay character? Then there is the black female sidekick; totally unfunny and quite trite. But these are the least of the film's problems. There is the plot full of monster-clichés, clichés so huge they couldn't fit in only one half of the cosmos. The PC-ness is considerable and reaches new heights of pure stupidity; there is a scene in which Nick tells an old corporation guy that toothpicks are environmentally unfriendly and "so 80s". That's right, this is all the world needed: to find out that we'd have three more trees and less of an ozone layer problem if we manufactured and used less toothpicks. Save the trees! Or how about the PC ending, with Nick coming up with some half-brained solution for using old metal or something like that. Then we have the ultimate PC moment: the black female sidekick telling Jane that she shouldn't have attacked the woman she caught - and who works with her - in her boyfriend's bed but that she should have only cut his balls off. I.e. "sisters are doin' it for themselves"! "Lesbos unite"! "Girl Power"! "It's always the man's fault"! "Kill all penises!" What a pathetic script, what lifeless direction, what a lousy cast, and what a nice opportunity to doze off for 90 minutes instead.
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fedor84 January 2007
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mark-50619 February 2004As the punny title suggests, "Nick and Jane" delivers everything you'd expect from a typical romantic comedy, with a little twist. While I found the secondary story involving Jane's professional life a bit uninteresting, this is a romantic comedy first and foremost, and thankfully it works. And what makes it work so well is the chemistry between Dana Wheeler-Nicholson and James McCaffrey. It's that "are they a couple in real life?" sort of chemistry. (To my knowledge, they're not.) Wheeler-Nicholson doesn't always convince me when she's working alongside the other actors in the movie, but McCaffrey is so good that he brings out the best in her, and I for one fell for their storybook romance hook, line and sinker. The supporting cast is goofy but likable, especially David "Hot Hot Hot" Johansen and Clinton Leupp as two initially annoying gay stereotypes who turn out to be thoughtful, agreeable characters. A thoroughly sweet little movie that proves you don't need major stars to make a romantic comedy work. Still trying to figure out how such a low budget production got to incorporate a Bjork song into its soundtrack, but I'm not complaining.
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claudio_carvalho17 September 2003Jane (Dana Wheeler-Nicholson) is a successful executive, fighting for a big account with a wealth client. Nick (James McCaffrey) is a broken taxi driver, living in a poor area of New York. One afternoon, Jane finds her colleague and boyfriend John in the bed with another women and she breaks her engagement with him. She gets a cab and has the first contact with Nick along the plot. Then, she decides to go to a party with her girlfriend, where she meets Nick and John, and she pretends to be dating with Nick. Further, she tells John that Nick is an important executive from another company. Nick is invited to participate in a brunch in Jane's company. She promises him US$ 1,500.00 to share this fake situation with her. What happens next, although predictable, will not disappoint fans of beautiful romantic comedy. The situations generated from this lie are funny and the crush of Nick and Jane is nice. I watched the trailer of this film a couple of days ago and got interested in see it. I liked it a lot. It is a low-budget movie, with unknown cast and very predictable, but also very enjoyable. The storyline is basically the same of 'Pretty Woman', with the sexes of the couple changed, but there is a great chemistry between Jane and Nick. The performance and direction work perfectly in a screenplay simple but credible, and the movie is a good entertainment. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Nick & Jane - Uma Grande Paixão" ("Nick & Jane - A Great Passion") -
Poeme23 December 1998After watching this comedy, you can't help but feel good. New York City looks great. The performances are believable, and the quirky characters are a nice touch.
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benji-73 November 1998What a joy to watch one of the rare well written romantic comedies that is perfectly cast from the smallest roles to the leads with each character - including New York City - contributing to what can best be described as a real gem.
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inkblot1115 September 2003Jane (Dana Wheeler-Nicholson) is a high-powered investment banker trying to land a key account for her company. One day, she goes to her boyfriend's apartment, only to find him in bed with another woman. Distraught and confused, Jane rushes to the street and into the taxicab of Nick (James McCaffrey). Nick tries to console her while taking her home, all the while becoming interested in her. Some time later, he and Jane again cross paths at a local pub and exchange phone numbers. It seems Jane needs a date for a company party and she asks Nick to play the role of a businessman (and her new love interest) at this social gathering. At Jane's request, Nick even undergoes a complete makeover and emerges looking like the fulfillment of Jane's fondest wishes. Will Nick help Jane acquire the important account and win her heart at the same time?
This sweet story, with a cast of talented unknowns, is a low-key version of the film Picture Perfect. McCaffrey is very good as the diamond-in-the-rough romantic lead and Wheeler-Nicholson utterly charming as the object of his affections. The scenes in and around New York are an added enjoyment. Although this movie could never be called a "must-see", romantic comedy fans will find it an enjoyable watch for a lazy afternoon, especially those in search of lesser-known films of good quality. -
KirstieB8 September 1998Nick & Jane was definitely entertaining, a good romantic happy flick... with a little bit of unusual zip. While Nick's sidekick was annoying, Jane's friend was hilarious. Overall very entertaining movie... good actors, good filming, decent script and generally fun to watch.
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iraisrael16 July 2003This is a great directorial debut from someone to watch out for. The characters are genuine and the story is very real. It's really the perfect date movie and I'm glad that it received the acclaim that it received. All of the secondary characters and cameos are well-placed and the pacing is very smooth. Let's see more!