Canadian director Katrin Bowen follows her first feature Amazon Falls (VIFF 2010) with an anti-romantic comedy, about love and all those crazy and obsessive behaviors associated with it.
Random Acts of Romance, which had its world premiere at the Vancouver International Film Festival 2012, revolves around the lives of two couples whose relationships are falling apart.
Newly weds, David(Robert Moloney) and Holly(Laura Bertram) continue to live their monotonous married life rather than admit they aren’t happy and Dianne(Amanda Tapping) and Matt(Zak Santiago), have been together for 5 years yet Matt still doesn’t know what she drinks and Dianne is still the sole financial supporter while Matt is working on his online degree. When Dianne gives Matt an ultimatum, Matt decides he must sacrifice to save the relationship resulting in a surprising turn of events and a chance for Holly to put an end to her unhappiness.
The quirky characters, like the receptionist who moonlights as a stalker, add to the hilarity of the film. Amanda Tapping, best known for her role in Stargate SG-1and Stargate Atlantis, gives a strong performance as Dianne, however the relationship between Dianne and the much younger Matt didn’t seem all that believable. An interesting plot and relatable characters that confront situations we can all identify with, Random Acts of Romance shows the viewer that love is never perfect but we put up with it anyway.
[Rating:3/5]
