Sweet November (2001)

The 1968 version of Sweet November was a frothy fable that worked, for the most part, due to the charmingly offbeat chemistry of costars Sandy Dennis and Anthony Newley. For this turn-of-the-millennium remake, Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron do their best to ground the fable in a more sophisticated reality, but that's just what this movie doesn't need. The premise is preposterous to begin with, so we need credible fantasy to leap over chasms of logic and ease into what should be a tear-jerking variation of Love Story. It's certainly possible to get suckered into the movie's sticky-sweet romance, but you'll need extra effort to suspend your disbelief.

Theron is Sara, who pathologically lures men into romance for one month at a time, "helping" them before moving onto the next month's catch. She's avoiding long-term commitments because she's deathly ill--a fact revealed by hundreds of prescription bottles hidden in her medicine cabinet. Reeves is Nelson, the fast-lane advertising executive who reluctantly becomes Sara's Mr. November. He's insulting and callous until he learns the truth, at which point director Pat O'Connor makes a 180-degree tone shift that cannot possibly succeed. Theron makes the most of her movie-sickness routine, but Reeves is out of his depth, and not one but two romantic montages (set to the music of Enya, no less) only emphasize the movie's abundant clichés (the most obvious being The Patriot's Jason Isaacs as Theron's supportive gay neighbor). Cry if you must, but don't let anyone catch you. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com

So San Francisco

This is not just about two people in love, it is about San Francisco at its best. It is about making the most of every day. So what if it is a little too "chickflicky". Way to go, Charlize! October 23, 2008

Sweet November

Movie is very entertaining and touching. Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron are very good in their roles. October 6, 2008

I liked it, despite myself

This is one of those incurable disease flicks designed to make you cry. I didn't, but then again, maybe it wasn't as effective as it could have been. It reminded me of a remake of "Love Story," the '60s film. Actually, it fooled me for the first two thirds. I didn't see the disease angle coming. It's a chick flick, no doubt. But guys will like it up to a point. September 29, 2008

Sweet November

I loved this movie! Charlize Theron and Keanu Reeves were wonderful together. It was actually beautiful yet sad at the same time.Sara Deever ( Charlize) takes a different man into her home every month. Her reasons in doing this is to help the men out with any kind of problems they are having in life. Nelson (Keanu) happened to be her November. He is a rude, arrogant man that doesn't care about anyone but himself. She helps him become a better person and they fall inlove for the first time in both of their lives. Little does Nelson know that Sara is ill. I will leave it at that because i don't want to give everything away.I would recommend this movie to anyone because it is great. Also, Jason Isaacs provides some comedy in this movie as well. He was fun to watch. August 4, 2008

This November is anything but sweet...

I think I can honestly say that `Sweet November' is one of the worst movies I have ever seen. It's actually so bad that I'm at a loss for words at really what to say here. I am truly baffled by all the four and five star reviews, but I'm not here to judge other reviewers, just this atrocious movie.

`Sweet November' has the disadvantage of sporting a preposterous story that makes little to no sense and is chuck full of so many clichés one may can guess each and every plot point just by reading the film description. Sara Deever is a sweet single woman who engages in month-long relationships with men in order to help them change their lives for the better. She shies away from any real commitment because she is very ill and so she makes sure she warns them before agreeing to take them on that they are not allowed to fall in love with her, no matter what. Her `November' is Nelson Moss, an advertising executive who is a workaholic, devoid of any real life. After a chance meeting she decides to invite him to live with her so she can `help' him.

Yes, it's a ridiculous premise. No self respecting woman would invite total strangers to come live with them, and no sane male would take her up on the offer. He may go home for the night, but he's not moving in.

I understand that films don't always make sense; they are in fact works of fiction; and if the plot were the only issue I may be compelled to forgive it a little and enjoy what else I can from the film, but the plot is the least of its worries. There is a major problem with the two stars of this film, especially Reeves, but Theron does little to rectify the problem. Keanu Reeves is seriously one of the worst actors of our generation. He has almost no emotional depth and is almost always one-note. In fact the only role he seemed suited for and actually delivered in was `The Matrix', for it was the only role that required his dry personality. Here he falls flat and proves uninteresting and ridiculously mechanical. His performance is laughably bad, nothing honest coming from him in any way. Theron is better, but she can't rescue the film. She is charming but her quirkiness tends to be a drawback. Her character comes off as rather insane instead of interesting. She is gorgeous, there is no denying that, but pretty is not enough.

I honestly thought that this movie was going to be sweet, but I can't stress enough how deceiving the films title really is. I want to rent the original now, just to see if it is as horrible. Somehow I doubt that. I took my ex-girlfriend to see this film when it was first released, thinking that it would be a great date movie, but it proved to be a horrible experience for the both of us, and while I don't blame this movie for our eventual breakup (which happened less than a week later) I do find it slightly ironic and like to joke that this movie was our downfall. I recently caught this movie on Cable and sat through it, just to see if my feelings for the film were tainted by my feelings for my ex, and their not; the movie is genuinely horrendous.

If you want to see something romantic and charming this is not the route to go. Rent `Love Story' or `The Notebook' or `While You Were Sleeping' instead. May 9, 2008

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