Themes: Class Differences, Opposites Attract, Looking For Love
Main Cast: Craig Ferguson, Ian Hart, Jane Horrocks, Adrian Lester, Catherine McCormack, Olivia Williams
Release Year: 2000
Country: UK
Run Time: 97 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
In modern-day London, three men and three women fall in and out of love and back again, to the Greek-chorus accompaniment of two cab drivers (Ian Hart and John Thomson), who engage in an ongoing conversation about sex. In one pairing, Eleanor (Olivia Williams), a sophisticated and slightly anal art restorer, is pitted against Frankie (Craig Ferguson), a smartly dressed divorcee who still shares a flat with his bitter ex-wife. The two meet one night at a salsa club, and a caustic attraction soon flourishes. Another pairing sees Mo (Jane Horrocks), a tough, love-'em-and-leave-'em Liverpuddlian, reunite with Eddie (Jimi Mistry), a clumsy bloke who was in love with Mo years before and now dreams of winning her back. Meanwhile, Jocelyn (Catherine McCormack), a young woman both neurotic and without self-esteem, finds unlikely happiness with the slovenly Fergus (David Morrissey), who bemoans the lack of love in his life. Born Romantic is the second feature of British writer/director David Kane, who made his feature debut with the similarly themed This Year's Love in 1999. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide
Review
Drab British realism meets gimmicky American romantic comedy -- with mixed results -- in this ensemble piece about breaking up, making up, and salsa dancing. At its core, Born Romantic is closest in spirit to the darkly sentimental Dogme films, particularly Lone Scherfig's Italian for Beginners. Shot with handheld camera and little light, the film evinces a certain amount of desperate authenticity from its stellar cast, primarily the three talented women who form its trio of unlucky-in-love bachelorettes, Olivia Williams, Jane Horrocks, and Catherine McCormack. But the sad-sack men of the film seem to be on a different page entirely, alternating from the pathetic (Jimi Mistry) to the impossibly sage (Ian Hart) and John Thompson). Ultimately, director David Kane's grungy sense of style can't hold all the diverse elements of Born Romantic together, and what should've been a lighter-than-air souffle ends up with a consistency closer to that of a shoe sole. ~ Michael Hastings, All Movie Guide
Jina Jay - Casting, Jill Taylor - Costume Designer, David Reid - First Assistant Director, David Kane - Director, Michael Parker - Editor, David M. Thompson - Executive Producer, Alistair MacLean-Clark - Executive Producer, Simon Boswell - Composer (Music Score), Dan Rose - Musical Direction/Supervision, Sarah Greenwood - Production Designer, Robert Alazraki - Cinematographer, Michele Camarada - Producer, Stuart Wilson - Sound/Sound Designer, David Kane - Screenwriter
Born Romantic is a 2000British film directed by David Kane. The film is centered around a salsa club, three men pursue three women across London. Fergus is trying to find his ex-girlfriend, the elderly charmer Frankie the beautiful Eleanor and the robber Eddie is trying to find one of his victims, cemetery worker Jocelyn.
Salsa dancing and 'El Corazon', a London Salsa Club provide the backdrop for the love-inspired efforts of three unlikely romantics:
Fergus (David Morrissey), who arrives in London from his native Liverpool, on a search for Maureen ('Mo') Docherty (Jane Horrocks), the high-school sweetheart he jilted years ago.
Eddie (Jimi Mistry), the incompetent mugger who falls for Jocelyn (Catherine McCormack), the neurotic "absentee grave tender" (she tends the graves of loved ones for people who cannot).
Frankie (Craig Ferguson), a hopeless romantic trapped in the fifties and still sharing a house with his ex. He pursues the elegant and snobbish Eleanor (Olivia Williams), art restorer by day and Salsa dancer by night.
All are connected by Jimmy (Adrian Lester), a cab driver, and a place, 'El Corazon'.
Production notes
The movie features various (London) locations, including the interior of the British Museum.
The Salsa club 'El Corazon' is located here: ??????? (find location)
The soundtrack includes some great Latin dance hits:
