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Although Holly Kennedy (Hilary Swank) and her husband Gerry (Gerard Butler) could vehemently disagree about things, like their lifestyle or family matters, to the extent of conducting shouting matches, they truly love each other. Their life together is soon disrupted by Gerry’s death due to brain tumor. Holly is very devastated. But her sorrow is somehow cushioned by a cellphone message on her birthday, and letters coming regularly from Gerry. When he knew he did not have long time to live, he solicited his mother-in-lay Elizabeth’s help to send his messages regularly to Holly for the first year of her widowhood. She felt that “hearing” from Gerry regularly would give Holly the impression that he is still around. Despite her feelings, she religiously carried out the arrangement. Holly comes to feel that her husband has not left her, he is still by her side in spirit.
P.S. I Love You is based on a novel written by Cecilia Ahern. It is the story of how Holly reacts to losing her husband, how her life is affected by it and in what way she could go on with living. There is an interesting story to tell. However the telling or showing of it is affected by lack of connection between certain events and episodes. One of these is the abrupt cut between the introductory quarrelling scene of husband and wife, jumping to the vigil sequence for Gerry who has passed on. Kathy Bates and Gerard Butler made convincing characters of Elizabeth the mother, and Gerry. Hilary Swank was somewhat lackluster as Holly, perhaps because this is a role she is not familiar with. Somehow, the movie is not as moving as it could have been.
P. S. I Love You does show the extent of love and caring Holly and Gerry had for each other: she mourned for him; without him she practically did not want to do anything for herself. Even “beyond this life” Gerry kept in touch: to make her celebrate her birthday, with him on the cellphone; arranged a trip to Ireland, via letter, to meet his parents who had not met her yet. At the same time, family and her friends saw to it that she was never alone and moping. Besides these things going on, she used flash back to be in touch with her Gerry, found herself talking to him “in person” and feeling his presence all the time, until convincing friends helped her to move on and found something positive to do with her life.
(Date Reviewed: 25 January 2008)
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