Sweet November Review

Nelson Moss, Keanu Reeves, is not unlike the character Mel Gibson portrayed in WHAT WOMEN WANT - he`s an essentially selfish, hard-driving adman, and he`s good at his job, despite his lack of people skills. He treats his live-in girlfriend like an object, and when he loses an important account for his firm and gets the sack his girl walks out, too. Fortunately, he`s just met Sara, Charlize Theron - they were taking a written driving test when he, through his selfishness, caused her to fail, so she`s not allowed to drive her car. Still, she`s surprisingly forgiving, and invites him to stay with her for the month of November - she wants to help him....I didn`t see the 1968 version of this weepie in which Anthony Newley and Sandy Dennis played the leading roles. But the character of Sara certainly seems to have stepped right out of the hippy era; she lives in San Francisco, she`s clearly a neo-flower-child, and she`s generous with her sexual favours. Nelson is more your modern man, but he soon gets transformed by Sara`s sweetness and love. Of course there`s got to be a catch, and when it comes it`s one of those four handkerchief affairs - though it`s pretty contrived and manipulative. Pat O`Connor`s direction is far too leisurely, and the supporting characters, including a cute dog and a cute kid, are right out of stock. Still, Reeves and Theron bring a certain amount of charm to the proceedings.