Down With Love

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Down With Love

PG-13

Released May 16, 2003

1h 34m

Romance

Comedy

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Popcornmeter

60%

Tomatometer

176 Reviews

62%

Popcornmeter

50,000+ Ratings

It's 1962, and feminist Barbara Novak (Renée Zellweger) pens a best-selling book that details the drawbacks of love. She encourages women to forgo serious relationships with men in favor of independence, workplace achievements and satisfying sex. Despite her success, many men are taken aback by her progressive views, including slick writer Catcher Block (Ewan McGregor), who decides to expose Barbara as a fraud by making her fall in love with him. However, his plan has unexpected consequences.

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Critics Consensus

Looks great, but Zellweger and McGregor have no chemistry together, and the self-satisfied, knowing tone grates.

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Simran Hans

New Statesman

It left me so giddy I watched it twice.

May 20, 2020

Full Review

Nell Minow

Common Sense Media

Hilarious spoof on '60s comedies for mature 14+.

Rated: 4/5

Dec 22, 2010

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Empire Magazine

Rated: 3/5

Nov 2, 2003

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Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

The performances lacked focus.

Rated: 2.5/4.0

Sep 6, 2020

Full Review

Debbie Lynn Elias

Behind The Lens

Absolutely to-die-for vintage-style and couture frocks. Hey, what can I say? You've can't help but be up for Down With Love!

Nov 7, 2019

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Joel Siegel

Good Morning America

This purports to be a modern version of the Doris Day-Rock Hudson Pillow Talk comedies but ends up being a big snore.

Rated: C-

Jan 4, 2018

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Karen F

So cute! Must see I don’t know why I never heard of this film before 2025

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/09/25

Full Review

Shioka O

Worth watching for the nostalgic 60s design. Casting is not perfect though...

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/02/25

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helder f

This movie has a great cast. Ewan McGregor didn’t seem the best choice for his role, but overall the movie has a great cast. The cinematography is visually stunning, capturing the beauty of the setting. The story just doesn’t hit the mark. In great part, because the story is made of actions that are done and then undone. The movie doesn’t really go anywhere. When we believe the movie is headed in a particular direction, something occurs to reveal that it’s not truly meant to go anywhere. It’s fine if this movie is supposed to be a parody of old movies, but it doesn’t work very well. It’s a waste of talent - and frankly a bit of waste of time.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/02/25

Full Review

Rare T

I saw this movie years back, and even though I’d forgotten most of it, it never left my mind as having left a positive impression. Upon the second watch, I can acknowledge that it even surpassed my expectations. Down With Love is well-written from start to finish; the plot, the dialogue, the quips, the numbers, the wittiness, the scrupulousness… It all blends together with magnificent cinematography and amazing performances that are reminiscent of a Doris Day, Rock Hudson, and Tony Randall movie. Renée Zellweger could very much compare to Doris Day, while Ewan McGregor’s character acts just like a Rock Hudson character would. David Hyde Pierce was the perfect choice for the quirky sidekick, like Tony Randall back in the days, and above all we get a cameo from Randall himself. This rom-com set in the 60s is as good as rom-coms were back in that era. Forget La La Land and Barbie, this one here tops both of them combined.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

09/10/24

Full Review

Farhan I

This movie is so amazing and entrancing! I cannot stop thinking about it since the first time I watched it. I am so obsessed. This movie is way better than Barbie (2023) and it deserves a resurgence of attention!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/23/24

Full Review

Emery A

The retro aesthetic of the 60s is beautiful and well portrayed, but the script is cliché and predictable, there is a sloppiness in the development of the battle of the sexes, in addition, the main purpose and the ending are crude.

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

12/16/23

Full Review

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Peyton Reed

Director

Renée Zellweger

Barbara Novak

Ewan McGregor

Catcher Block

Sarah Paulson

Vikki Hiller

David Hyde Pierce

Peter McMannus

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Synopsis

It's 1962, and feminist Barbara Novak (Renée Zellweger) pens a best-selling book that details the drawbacks of love. She encourages women to forgo serious relationships with men in favor of independence, workplace achievements and satisfying sex. Despite her success, many men are taken aback by her progressive views, including slick writer Catcher Block (Ewan McGregor), who decides to expose Barbara as a fraud by making her fall in love with him. However, his plan has unexpected consequences.

Director: Peyton Reed
Producer: Bruce Cohen, Dan Jinks
Screenwriter: Eve Ahlert, Dennis Drake
Distributor: 20th Century Fox
Production Co: 20th Century Fox
Rating: PG-13 (Sexual Humor|Sexual Dialogue)
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 16, 2003, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 1, 2013
Box Office (Gross USA): $20.3M
Runtime: 1h 34m
Sound Mix: Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio: Scope (2.35:1)

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