P.S. (2004)

This movie is the proof that the world is becoming a sick and dumb place

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

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

The movie runs out of plot and jokes well before the end of a two-hour running time, long for a light comedy.

One of our finest actresses who has never made it to superstardom, Laura Linney, stars in P.S. from 2004, also starring Topher Grace, Brad Renfro, Gabriel Byrne, Lois Smith, and Marcia Gay Harden.Linney plays Louise Harrington, the admissions director for Columbia Art School. She's divorced from Peter Harrington (Byrne), but they parted friends and get together for dinner weekly. In high school, Louise fell in love with one F. Scott Feinstadt, who died in a car accident. He seems to have been the love of her life.When one F. Scott Feinstadt applies for admission to the school, she is shocked and calls him. It's her old boyfriend's voice. She sets up an interview and when he shows up, he looks just like her F. Scott. It's quite an interview - they wind up having sex in her apartment. They are incredibly attractive to one another, and the age difference doesn't seem to matter.Louise's ex-husband hits her with a brutal admission, and not only that, she learns that her brother Sam (Renfro) knew about it and never told her. She feels betrayed and hurt. Then her best friend Missy (Harden) hears Scott on the phone and is immediately intrigued. Who is this guy? Is it Scott reincarnated, some long lost relative, or just an odd coincidence?I wouldn't have rented this except that I saw a trailer for it on another DVD. It's a very sweet film, with wonderful performances by all involved. Marcia Gay Harden is one of my favorites, and she's just perfect as a wife and mother who wants adventure.Lovely film, excellent cast.

P.S. is a story about having the opportunity to re capture first love with Laura Linney believing Topher Grace is the reincarnation of the first boy she fell for. This film sounds spiritual but believe me it is not.Louise (Laura Linney) is Head of Application at Colombia University. She receives an applicant from a guy named F.Scott Feinstadt. Looking like she has seen a ghost, she phones up the applicant and has a rather unprofessional conversation with him. He seems a little rude, especially for someone who has just received a phone call to a University he has applied for. She schedules an interview with him but he is considerably late, something again she seems to get over with fast. To then make this unprofessional turn of events even more unprofessional, she takes him home and sleeps with him. At this point you don't really understand why and it just seems all a bit unrealistic. They then seem to begin a relationship which seems fairly untrue but at least the actors manage to make it seem slightly believable. We then find out that she believes he is the reincarnation of her first love, who died in a car accident twenty years ago. He looks the same, has the same name and even draws like him. I feel like I may have given the story away here but I haven't cause if you watch the trailer this is the information you are given, even though you don't find this out until half an hour before the end.The film though isn't about the spiritual side and knowing the story before the reveal is not a problem as really it is about Louise's relationships with other people in her life. Of course F.Scott (Grace), the boy she believes is her dead former boyfriend. Peter (Byrne), her ex-husband with who she has a friendly relationship with but he is hiding a naughty secret. Her best friend Missy (Harden), the woman who also believes that Louise is right about F.Scott, but for all the wrong reasons and her brother Sammy (Paul Rudd), a rehabilitating addict who Louise struggles to see eye to eye with. This is where the film gets its drive, the relationships. The spiritual side may be the catalyst but it is the reason all is revealed in the relationships and how they all suffer from there on in.Linney is on top form throughout and makes her character believable. She plays the woman who is unsure about everything with absolute ease and even manages to have her boobs hanging out for most of the film. Grace is not quite as good but makes his relationship with Linney more believable as the film goes on. At first it seems forced due to the ninety minute running time but slowly they seem too fall into it. Byrne is also good and he and Linney share an emotional scene where he reveals his secret, which will have you trying to slide a lump back down your throat. The acting in this scene is great to watch. Harden and Rudd are both OK but never really have much screen time to make a large impact.The film is a lot more enjoyable then I was expecting and I have to say I was pleased with the final outcome. Although the film doesn't blow you away it will get you emotionally involved and Linney's performance makes you believe in her confusion. A steady film with lots to like. Oh except for the title as I still have no idea why it is called P.S.

Dylan Kidd's 'P.S.' centres around 'Louise', a 39 year old university professor who falls in love with a prospective student...thinking that he's the boyfriend who died twenty years ago. But, hang on, this isn't your usual back-from-the dead/ reincarnation love story. The film delves far deeper into Louise's psyche, exploring her inner turmoil and unresolved conflicts. We later learn that this deceased boyfriend wasn't even a nice fellow and yet Louside holds on to a memory that wasn't even real. Kidd's storytelling is quite tricky. At times I thought it was all in Louise's head but neither this nor the alternative is ever confirmed. Shot beautifully, with a fine background score. 'P.S.' is a well-made film. While the editing is mostly good, I felt some of the deleted scenes should have been left in, like the post-interview café sequence which added to the Louise and Fran characters. Laura Linney carries the role with natural grace. Her castmates Topher Grace, Lois Smith, Gabriel Byrne, Marcia Gay Harden and Paul Rudd provide great support. 'P.S.' may not be everyone's cup of coffee but it's definitely my kind of film.

Imagine the shock Louise Harrington, a professor at Columbia University gets upon receiving a letter from a student applicant whose name is the same as her old boyfriend, who died in a tragic car accident years ago. Little prepares her for the way Scott, a young man that shows promise, will shake her up and awakens a passion she didn't know she had inside her.Louise has been divorced from Peter, another Columbia professor, and in their last few years together had no sex together. Peter confesses to his ex-wife he is addicted to sex. Louise had no inkling about Peter's sexual life. He has had many encounters, mainly with students, women and men, as he doesn't discriminate who he takes to bed.Scott sweeps Louise off her feet and awakens in her a newly discovered passion she didn't know she had in her. This relationship is threatened when Missy Goldberg, Louise best friend and confidante, comes into town because she suspects her friend is having a mad affair with the younger man. They have both been in love with the old boyfriend who had died tragically. Missy, in fact, has always envied Louise, something that comes clear in a final confrontation at the end of the film."P.S." was directed and adapted by Dylan Kidd, an interesting director whose "Roger Dodger" made him known to film fans. The novel in which the film is based was written by Helen Schulman, but not having read it, we can't make any comparisons, although Mr. Kidd's adaptation flows easily as a movie.The best thing in "P.S." is Laura Linney. This actress projects such intelligence and radiates charm in everything she plays. We can't imagine anyone else in this part. Ms. Linney's contribution to the success of the film is invaluable. Topher Grace is also good as Scott, the student that knows exactly what he is getting into and awakens Louise into a passion she didn't know she had. Gabriel Byrne is seen as Peter, the ex-husband. Marcia Gay Harden makes a short appearance into one of the best thing in the film as the friend that has everything, yet has always envied Louise. Lois Smith and Paul Rudd have minor roles."P.S." is an adult film that makes us think because Dylan Kidd doesn't compromise with the story and because he knows how to present this tale about adult people going through painful situations and discovering things about themselves.