Elizabethtown-the movie

One of the best artsy movies disguised as a chick flick.

I borrowed four movies from my brother last weekend: Pirates of the Caribbean, Oceans 11, The Bourne Identity (I don't know if its Matt Damen or if its really a good movie- but I could watch it a lot).

I put it in thinking it would be a chick flick- you know the kind you can watch while folding clothes, cleaning your apartment, talking on the phone and running a 20 minute errand and then you come home and still know exactly what's going on... Its just too simple- that's what I thought it would be. I put it in for background noise at first- when you live alone sometimes you do that- just to feel like you are safer or have company over. So after I grabbed a couple of things to unpack and decorate my new place, I was drawn into the lives of Drew Baylor and Claire. Drew makes a major financial boo boo at his shoe company and will soon be labeled a failure. On the way home to Kentucky for his Father's funeral, a man he barely knows now, or tried to forget when he left home, a zealous flight attendant tries to make friendly with him despite his obvious disinterest.

But then the real story of the film comes out. Drew needs to deal with his past, he needs to lighten up and learn how to live. Somehow the flight attendant, Claire, comes back into his life and tries to teach him how to do that and how to really enjoy it. You see them talk on the phone while one of the year's best soundtracks plays in the background.

Drew meets Claire for the sunrise half way between the two of them and they build their relationship only how they can be built- talking and time- as much time as you can in a "Chick Flick." You see him finally give himself to another person- learning to let go of his own seriousness and self-pity.

He takes his dead father's ashes on a road trip planned courteously by Claire. This is one of the best parts in the movie (that and the memorial service for his father). He learns to let his father in, and then let him go at symbolic moments. The last two lines are the best in the whole movie and make the story worthwhile. You'll have to watch to find out.

Rating: Even guys who don't like chick flicks (Shmeric- when you come up for their wedding we'll watch Donny Darko and this one :)) will love it.

This one is now in my top 10- LOVE IT.