Spoiler Alert, I'll probably spoil something about this movie for you only if you're the type of person who goes to a romantic comedy wondering if the main characters will get their happy ending together.
As jaded as a woman today can sometimes be scoffing at romantic comedies and condemning them for putting unrealistic ideas into girls' heads, I did enjoy Leap Year. How could I not with such charmers as Amy Adams and Matthew Goode playing the title characters? Despite the fact that this textbook romantic comedy never had me wondering what would happen next, I was able to relax in the capable hands of the actors, writers and director. The story is not that much different than any other romantic comedy out there, but still enjoyable.
Adams plays Anna, a control freak in need of some tall dark and handsome man to spin her world out of control. Goode (who I've personally loved since Chasing Liberty) plays Declan, the man spurned by past love who needs an annoyingly cute woman to open up his world again.
What makes this movie fun is the setting and the premise. Anna goes to Ireland to propose to her boyfriend on leap day and after several mishaps and pitfalls discovers that Declan is the one for her.
Personally, I wasn't that impressed with the stellar writing, but I was charmed by a few moments within the film. I felt that the writers really came on to something with the complication of the question Declan asks Anna about what she would take with her if her house was burning and she had sixty seconds. This idea was utilized well within the film, as were the beats of comedy throughout. Each idea, though not the most brilliant or hilarious, was used to it's fullest potential. All the loose ends were tied, nothing was forgotten or left out and (here's the spolier) there was a happy ending.
All in all Leap Year was satisfying without being condescending to it's viewers as so many romantic comedies can be today. And when it comes on the movie channels, I'm sure I'll watch it several more times.
