WHO MADE IT? | Director: Susannah Grant Cast: Jennifer Garner, Timothy Olyphant, Kevin Smith, Sam Jaeger, Fiona Shaw and Juliette Lewis | WHAT'S IT ABOUT? | Gray Wheeler (Jennifer Garner) finds that instead of celebrating the most important day of her life, her wedding day, she is at her fiancé's funeral. As she deals with sorting out his estate she discovers that she never really knew him as a whole host of secrets begin to emerge. (He was a millionaire and had had an affair.) Through her loss her fiancé's close friends and business associates rally round her. | WHAT'S IT LIKE? | This is a touching and at times a realistic look at bereavement and coming to terms with losing a loved one. It's beautifully written and well directed by Susannah Grant, who won an Oscar nomination for her screenplay for Erin Brockovich. Touted as the next Julia Roberts, Jennifer Garner's warm and heartfelt performance as Gray keeps you glued to the screen. She gives Gray a vulnerability that's utterly convincing and her smile just lights up the screen. The rest of the cast provide solid support. Timothy Olyphant (The Broken Hearts Club, TV's Deadwood) as Grady's playboy childhood buddy Fritz who falls for Gray in the wake of an embarrassing and highly improbable encounter. Kevin Smith (Clerks) provides the light relief as the underachiever Sam who writes copy for Celestial Seasonings tea boxes along with Juliette Lewis as kooky new age massage therapist Maureen who serves them all turf. Grant manages to outline the reality of losing a loved one (losing your home because you cannot afford to pay the rent any more and dealing with their estate) as well as the never ending pain. But it's Garner that makes it real and convincing. A gentle and endearing rom com drama which is worth seeing. | Opens 23 March 2007
