Love and Other Drugs- dedicated to Natalie Keeler

Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway star in Edward Zwick’s “Love and Other Drugs,” which sells the drugs quite well, but not necessarily the love. The story is set in the 90’s, just when major drug companies began to take flight with the commoditization of health. Jake Gyllenhaal plays Jamie Randall, a pharmaceutical salesman for Pfizer and a complete charmer who will do whatever it takes to make a sale, even if it includes bringing flowers to the receptionists in a doctor’s office or throwing the competitor’s drug (in this case, Prozac) in the trash.

His world is turned upside down when he meets Maggie Murdock (Anne Hathaway), a cynical, free-spirited spunky woman whose been diagnosed with Parkinson’s at 26. While Jamie is pretending to be an intern in a doctor’s office, Hathaway’s character exposes her breast in the office for the doctor to examine (a role that could have been used to a lot more potential by Hank Azaria). Once Maggie figures out Jamie is a drug rep, she smashes him in the face with her briefcase. Jamie has finally met his match. And so begins their courtship.

After a number of very realistic and adult sex scenes, they realize they have fallen in love. Or rather, the high number of sex scenes is supposed to substitute scenes of their courtship, and so their love throughout the rest of the film seems a little unauthentic at certain parts, but overall their story is treated in a very adult-like and realistic manner. Some of their discussions and dialogue ring very true, although they don't seem to fall in love gracefully, it's more of a thud.

Maggie’s character arc throughout the film seems stagnant, however. She’s supposed to be the sarcastic, bitter one, but halfway through, she drops that refreshingly original part of her personality and becomes sugary sweet and emotional. Hathaway plays the role of a Parkinson’s patient with a considerable amount of seriousness. Those who were screaming “Oscar” based on her role are now biting their tongues, unfortunately however. Hathaway’s natural charisma on screen made her sarcastic, spunky character seem a little unbelievable, but there were some scenes where she was incredible, particularly when she goes to a meeting with a bunch of other Parkinson’s patients or after a particular bad day with her tremors, she lashes out at Jamie and feelings of self-pity spill out of her.

Jake Gyllenhaal, probably turns in the best performance of this film, but this might be more because of his natural charisma then his acting ability. Nevertheless, he plays the role of the charmer perfectly, and his character arc is extremely believable as he transforms from the masculine, hotshot drug rep into a man capable of love and caring well over his love of making money. One of the best scenes in the whole film comes when Jamie goes to the meeting with the Parkinson’s patients, and he speaks with a man whose wife suffered from the disease. As the man goes through the absolute hell that Maggie’s life will transform into once she goes through some of the higher stages of Parkinson’s, the realization of what Jamie is about to put himself through really hits home. Is he prepared to deal with this?

The major problem with “Love and Other Drugs” is the plotline. There were several disparate plots that don’t feel cohesive enough, though we may be blinded by the star power that Gyllenhaal and Hathaway provide. The story of their love doesn’t really seem to connect with the social commentary skewering pharmaceutical companies, and it isn’t until the end that Jamie realizes he is willing to spend the rest of his life taking care of Maggie. There is one scene in which Jamie is speaking with Hank Azaria’s doctor, where he is talking about how he is forced to make people pay for expensive drugs that are essential to their health. This scene could have been extremely poignant and could have hammered the point home that health care companies are no longer out to help their patients, but are instead out for a profit. Gone are the principles set down in the World Health Organization’s 1978 Alma Ata Health declaration, stating everyone deserves proper healthcare at no cost. But all of this is lost, as the film tries to juggle its social commentary, its love story, and its moments of disjointed comedic relief, provided only by Jamie’s brother Josh, played by Josh Gad.

This film had so much potential. A very strong cast here puts in very good performances, but the incongruent storylines severely stifle it and diffuse the film’s purpose. Hank Azaria, Oliver Platt, and Judy Greer are all in the film, but are criminally underused. By the film’s end, no solution or final conclusion is made on the pharmaceutical companies, and we just come to understand Jamie is going to put up with Maggie’s illness, but whether or not he can handle all that is going to come with her illness in her later years is unresolved. A tighter, more connected plot could have kept the film from becoming messy. The love story and commentary on pharmaceutical companies are two separate storylines. If they had been fused together properly with some more natural comic relief, this film could’ve been great.

Where to Find It: In theaters 11/24
Rating: 2 ½ stars