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Is there a way to get lost love back again? In the new dramatic comedy from director Gary Winick (Bride Wars/13 Going on 30), Letters to Juliet, the concept of looking for the one that got away is explored with passion and beauty. But like all romantic journeys, this one was not without a few bumps in the road. 
 
Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) is an American girl in Italy for what is supposed to be a pre-wedding honeymoon. While her husband is continuously pulled away for business reasons she decides to spend her time with a group of women who answer "letters to Juliet" left at a wall by love sick ladies. When Sophie discovers a letter left decades earlier by a then young girl named Claire (Vanessa Redgrave)she decides to answer it. This soon leads them through the Italian countryside in search of Claire's lost love, Lorenzo.
 
This film is as hit and miss as love itself. Though a unique and decently written story it only truly works thanks to Mrs. Redgrave. Vanessa brings much warmth and sincerity as a woman trying to find the man she remembers only as a young boy. Each scene she is in is like a separate movie. You immediately like her and you hope that her story has a happy ending. In contrast, though not a bad actress, Seyfried still doesn’t quite have the chops it takes to carry this sort of genre. Timid might be a suitable adjective. Her character needed a bit more pizzazz. Sophie’s love interest played by Christopher Egan was a good fit for the romantic comedy element so not all was lost. As an Australian actor he nails his British character convincingly. He has a boyish charm that will be a win for the younger generation of romance fans. 
 
Letters to Juliet is rated PG for brief rude behavior, some language and incidental smoking. You will be hard pressed to find anything remotely offensive in this outing. The writers did a good job of making a film that captures the essence of love lost which is fitting with the Romeo and Juliet backdrop. Though safe for anyone 10 and up its niche audience is certainly the female movie goers 35 and older. I would even recommend it for those rare times that three generations of women could travel to the theater and each find something to embrace. It gets 3 out of 5 “what ifs”. It was heartwarming to watch a romantic film based around a woman in her 60’s who simply wants to make things right with the boy she left behind. Sadly the other half of the film kept it from soaring. So says Matt Mungle. 
 
Matt Mungle
 

 
Review copyright 2010 Mungleshow Productions. Used by Permission.