JIM reviews film “LOVE HAPPENS” – The “SELF-HELP” Guru needs help for HIMSELF! =

“LOVE HAPPENS” – The “SELF-HELP” Guru needs help for HIMSELF! =

Rating: 7.5 of 10 stars (based on an advance screening). =

Burke (played by AARON ECKHART) became a ‘SELF-HELP’ Guru counseling people who’ve suffered emotionally due to personal losses in their lives. Because he was urged to do so by his agent Lane (DAN FOGLER), he’s reluctantly agreed to hold a seminar in Seattle, altho the place holds specially painful memories for him.

He works hard to try to help people such as embittered Walter (JOHN CARROLL LYNCH) whose young son died recently. Where he’s staying, he chances to meet the hotel’s florist Eloise (JENNIFER ANISTON), who initially pretends to be deaf & mute. (Some venues have misleadingly claimed that he meets her when she “attends” his seminar, but she is NOT ever a paid attendee— it’s a coincidental meeting!).

As time goes on & Aaron spends a number of days giving his ‘A-Okay’ conference, we learn that he himself is NOT ‘OK’ & is not as he wants the public to picture him. Rather than an unrealistic ‘hot & heavy’ romance between Aaron & Jennifer, they take things ‘SLOWLY’ & with enjoyable humor surrounding them. In time, due to a “Flight of the Cockatoo’ (& contact with his ex-father-in-law played by MARTIN SHEEN), Aaron is forced to CONFRONT his own personal demons. Will it be ‘enough’ to help him help HIMSELF? Will it impact the conglomerate that wants to hire & promote him? Will he be able to go forward with Jennifer? The movie answers those questions, with effective acting by all involved, making for a satisfying film.