Don't Believe the Hype

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Since childhood, the ingenious, hopelessly romantic Faith Corvatch has dreamed of finding her soulmate.She consults a Ouija Board to learn his name (which the contraption claims is DAMON BRADLEY), and later even goes to a fortuneteller to have his existence confirmed.But, as time wears on, her hope of finding him fades to nothing, and so she settles for a Pediatrist, and is a week away from marrying him when something incredible happens...While trying on her wedding gown in the company of her best friend, and sister in law, Kate (Bonnie Hunt), Faith gets a telephone call from a man claiming to be an associate of the man she's about to marry. He's at the airport leaving for Venice, and could Faith please take a message.His name? Damon Bradley.In a mad dash, Faith drops everything, and rushes to the airport (wedding gown, and all), where she finds Damon's airplane just taking off.She has never seen him in the flesh, and has no idea what he looks like.Convinced, however, that he is her destiny, she follows him to Venice, taking Kate with her, only to find that he has checked out of his expensive hotel, and has apparently gone to Rome.In Rome, the two exhausted women learn the name of the restaurant he will be dining that evening.They go. Eagerly. Only to find themselves losing him again...then finding him in the form of a handsome, young stranger (played by Robert Downey Jr.) who claims to be Damon Bradley.Faith loses consciousness, only to be revived again in the arms of the man she believes is her one true love.They have a magical evening (indeed it looks like Faith might really have been right), until the man reveals -quite reluctantly- that his isn't Damon Bradley, that his name is Peter Wright, and that his motive for lying about his identity sprung from his being captivated by the sudden appearance of the beautiful Faith.Furious, Faith rejects him, dismissing their brief romantic interlude (which Peter believes was real) as being the product of a manipulation.She resumes her feverish search for Damon Bradley, vowing never to see or speak to Peter again.Peter, desperate, quickly finds a way to stay close to Faith...by finding Damon Bradley.Now it's up to destiny to decide how this will end.Marisa Tomei is radiant in this role. I have rarely seen a more luminous performance by her.Robert Downey Jr. is great.Bonnie Hunt is perfect, as is the rest of the supporting cast.Director Norman Jewison (In The Heat Of The Night), does an outstanding job with this movie. I don't think a lesser director could've done as good a job.It's warm, it's romantic, it's original, and it's fresh.Glowingly confirming that there are forces out there that are greater than ourselves.Originally, Review #155Posted On: January 4, 2012

I am a fan of the romantic comedy genre, not because every one of them is great (because probably a majority are not) but because when I find one that I like, I am more satisfied that I would be with almost any other genre. "Only You" is a great romantic comedy. I recognize that there are a ton of things about the plot and some of the characters that I could nit-pick, but so few of these films are well done and have enough emotion to leave me satisfied and happy that I see no point in complaining. The film basically involves Marisa Tomei being led to believe from her teenage years than her destined lover is a man named Damon Bradley, and when she is engaged to another man, she receives a call from her fiancé's high school alum with the same name. Convinced he's the man, she flies to Italy to meet him and instead meets Robert Downey Jr, who has immediately fallen in love with Tomei and claims himself to be Bradley. Naturally, not a perfect film, and plenty of minor flaws, but I must say that this one was less predictable than the average film of it's type. It's mildly funny, and most importantly, it has, in my opinion, a perfect ending, the most important element of a romantic comedy for me. Beautifully scenic, mostly being shot in Italy. I'm not claiming the film to be flawless, but see it without super high expectations and you'll be pleasantly surprised. This film reminds me of watching a movie simply for enjoying it rather than criticizing it.***1/2 out of ****

...yes, why can't I just take it for what it is? A flimcy-flumcy childish fairytale on hallucinogenics?? Why??? I'll tell You why; it's a complete waste of location(Rome, Italy), talent(Tomei, probably director too), genre(romance) and my time. Not at any time, the director pays any respect to.... -anything. The stressed pace of action, lack of development of character, Rome set as a stereotypic background prop for romance(I love Rome) etc. etc. etc. Stereotypic 19.th century sexual roles without any hint of either adult love affair or sexual attraction. Just a predictable mass Hollywood production. Why does Tomei even consider playing any part of this? (I couldn't watch till the end just utterly crap crap crap- sorry(not)). Watch some Jane Austen(1995 Pride & Prejustice) or just Casablanca, and You'll lose the bad taste of.... crap in your mouth(sorry again). 100% disappointed

I was about to write this comment and I came across a comment by Amy Adler from Toledo. She wrote pretty much what I wanted to write, so now I will have to rephrase.Giving a movie 10 rating reflects impractical thinking, in some people's opinion. I say, when your heart is full, 10 seems to be too low! Sometimes you feel so overwhelmed, you think, Gee, why can I not give 11 in 10? It happened to me when I watched the ending of A Very Long Engagement. And it happened when I watched Only You.It is not necessary to be in love with Italy to appreciate this film. But it is essential to get 100% of the taste that Norman Jewison and the whole crew worked so hard to offer. Robert Downey Jr. is Hollywood's lost cause. Usually, in a film, when he appears on a scene, story stops and frustration is imparted. But here, to my utmost astonishment, he is all that the hero of a romantic film ever needs to be! Marisa Tomei, probably unknowingly, outmatches herself and delivers the most charming role of her life. I am not saying it's the most masterful. I am not saying it's the most complicated. But charming, oh yes it is! Oh yes it is! At some points of time, when you feel all one with this film, you feel like you can breathe in the air with countless love pollens in it, drive through the long old roads with a view of the ocean, the ocean wind blowing your hair and nourishing your senses under the golden sun and making you believe, anything is possible in a place like this.This film has very simple elements that get into your veins and stay with you for the rest of your life. A lot of people worked so hard to make dead complicated plots and acting scopes. But I remembered none of those like I remember "Only You". If you have never loved, never felt silly and thought you could give away your everything, never felt sad and wished you could just melt away with the sweet earth, or if you have forgotten how those feelings were because you felt them so long ago, then probably you might find "Only You" not worth losing sleep over. But for a true romantique, this is all there is, this is all there can be.A pure delight for the senses. A life altering experience to me. I have watched it a hundred times over. Still every scene is brand new.