New Year's Eve | Review
Director Garry Marshall (‘Pretty Woman’) returns with the same formula as last year’s ‘Valentine’s Day’ in his new movie, ‘New Year’s Eve’. Once again, this is a star-studded movie just for show’s sake. There’s no reason to have so many A-list celebrities in one movie other than to make an easy and quick cash grab. Audiences love their celebrities, so why not see a movie where they’re all interacting with one another? Sure, it’s a little fun to see favorite celebrities in ‘New Year’s Eve’, but that doesn’t excuse the inevitable pointlessness of the movie as a whole.
There are about a dozen stories going on at once in this movie, so I won’t go on and explain every single one. However, it’s okay to assume that each plot involves love in one way or another. It’s too bad that the stories with more screen time are actually less interesting and out-shined by those with only five or so minutes of screen time. Halle Berry’s role is one of the most heartwarming, and she’s really only featured near the end of the movie. Zac Efron and Michelle Pfeiffer’s story is also one of the more interesting, with Efron making each of Pfeiffer’s resolutions come true. This plot point is nice as it showcases many great locations in New York City.
It’s a shame that Academy Award-winning actors such as Robert De Niro and Hilary Swank have downgraded to take part in such a sappy film as ‘New Year’s Eve’. And even Christopher “Ludacris” Bridges, after appearing in 2005’s Best Picture, ‘Crash’, has resorted to romantic comedies like ‘No Strings Attached’ and this movie.
Other celebrities featured for a few minutes in this movie include: Jake T. Austin, Jessica Biel, Jon Bon Jovi, Abigail Breslin, Josh Duhamel, Katherine Heigl, Ashton Kutcher, Seth Meyers, Alyssa Milano, Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker, Russell Peters, Ryan Seacrest, and Sofia Vergara. Vergara is, without a doubt, the most enjoyable part of ‘New Year’s Eve’. She essentially portrays the same character as she does in ‘Modern Family’.
‘New Year’s Eve’ is an inexpensive (in Hollywood terms) film made in order to make money fast. The star-studded cast is fun on screen, but they don’t really do anything interesting. The many plots are episodic, small, and uneventful.