When In Rome Review

Beth is a young successful art curator for the Guggenheim Museum who would rather work than continue to be in failed love affairs. At her younger sister’s wedding in Rome, she takes coins from a Trevi-like fountain of love which casts a spell on their owners who pursue her when she returns to New York. Now she has more opportunities for love than ever before.

Kristen Bell plays Beth who is charged with putting together an exhibit that is a major event for the Museum. Her younger sister Joan (Alexis Dzienas) shows up announcing that she is getting married after a 2 week romance with an Italian man she met on a cruise. Beth promises her boss (Anjelica Huston) that she will be in constant contact an monitor her work while she’s out of the country for 48 hours. Of course when she arrives in Italy she immediately experiences a lack of cell phone connectivity. She cute meets the best man and former groom’s roommate, Nick (Josh Duhamel) when she tries to use his phone. Beth and Nick are immediately attracted to one another. Taking her sister’s advice to be more open and ready for romance Beth decides to follow Nick outside with champagne only to spy him kissing a beautiful woman by the fountain. Peeved at her-self for letting her guard down, she drinks the bottle of champagne and drunkenly gets in the fountain to yell at the statue. She thinks by taking the coins in the fountain thrown by those looking for love, she will save them from love’s heartache. Instead the coin owners all fall under a spell where Beth becomes the object of their obsession.

Beth returns to NYC and has several encounters with these random men who are approaching her with intense attention. An artist, Antonio (Will Arnett) who has sketch pads filled with drawings of her and a magician, Lance (Jon Heder) who hangs himself upside down in her apartment dressed like a mummy while his friend films his escape to impress Beth with his skills. There is also, Gale (Dax Shepard) a vain creepy model who is amazed that he like to look at her more than himself. While Danny DiVito as the Sausage King becomes a patron of the Museum just to get closer to Beth while gifting her with baskets of kielbasas. Nick is also calling Beth wondering why she is avoiding him. He thought they had something special happening at the wedding.

Beth is giving in to Nick’s attention while fighting off the unwanted advances of her spellbound suitors. She discovers that she must put the coins back in the fountain, or return the coins to their owners to break magic. Just when she thinks all that back to normal, she find the poker chip she took from the fountain matches those in Nick’s apartment. Is Nick’s love for her real?

When in Rome is probably a good date movie. Funny situations and characters, some guffaw moments and teary eyed romance. Directed by Mark Steven Johnson (Ghostwriter and Daredevil) and written by David Diamond and David Weissman (Old Dogs and Evolution) they keep this formulistic movie moving without being too overkill.
Kristen Bell is perky, cute and not annoying. Josh is tall and his character is goofy and clumsy enough to keep him from being too perfect. Also look for Don Johnson as Beth’s dad and wonder why he’s not working more often.
(Review by Reesa)