Only Love

I rented this movie over the weekend and didn't know that it was a tv movie. I found it to be okay. Rob Morrow was good as Dr. Hiller(why is it he always plays doctors from New York.) The Italian actress who played Sylvia was good, if a bit annoying. I found her crying to be annoying and over the top. Basically, I just didn't like her. I thought that Marisa Tomei just stole the show. She was so cute and great in it. I didn't get the ending at all though. If you've seen it, what the heck? Do they break up, do they not? I just didn't get it. It was basically about love. I thought that the back of the box made it sound more interesting than it was. A doctor in New York is newly married with 2 daughters when a woman from his past comes and makes him remember his deep love for her. What does he do? Stand by his wife's side whom he has known since his days at the University of Michigan or does he go to the one he will always truly love and watch her die? It could have been better, but I found it predictable. I did find myself rooting for Marisa Tomei. I mean every second she's on the screen she's happy and just brights up the scene. Utterly enjoyable to watch, as opposed to her competition embodied by some cancer ridden Italien actress. It jumped from 1998 to 1982 to 1996 and any other year I've forgotten and that was a bit confusing. Basically, it was pretty good. The ending was a bit sad and it makes you think. It doesn't necessarily tell you what happens. Similar to Chasing Amy, it's up to you to decide what happens between the woman Dr. Hiller chooses and himself. Being the optimist I am(not really, just am this time because of Tomei) I would have to say that they live happily ever after, and let lying dogs die. Whoa! THat was a pretty stupid anaology, huh? Rent it if they don't have that new release you wanted.

Matthew (Rob Morrow) is a renowned neurologist. In his early career, however, he was a doctor in Africa, as part of a humanitarian medical corps. It was there that he met the early love of his life, Silvia. Silvia, from Italy, is also a doctor and the two become inseparable. However, Silva is the daughter of a very wealthy Italian businessman and he has promised her hand in marriage to a son of another wealthy Italian. A crisis occurs. Silvia saves Matthew's life in exchange for giving him up and following her father's wishes. Matthew is devastated. He throws himself into his work in neurology, and nothing else, for years and years. Unexpectedly, a longtime friend named Evie (Marisa Tomei) becomes divorced and the two fall for each other hard. They marry. Suddenly, Silvia re-enters the picture. Outcome, please? This is one of the loveliest stories of love ever. The script is humorous and full of pathos at the same time, examining the ways and depths of one's loves and choices. Morrow is terrific as the doctor and Tomei is her usual irresistible self as the wife. Silvia (Matilda May) is also quite nice as the woman thrust into impossible situations. The settings of Africa, Europe and the States are an added bonus and the costumes fetching. Gents, do you want to make your partners happy this Valentine's Day? Get this movie and your mates will cling to you like velcro throughout the view. It might even make couples fall in love all over again.

My wife and I watched the film over two nights and wish it had been cut by an hour or so. The padding that is too often part of made-for-TV movies was all too obvious and, by the end, we were getting very tired of Sylvia's clinging and the 'meaningful' looks. The film belongs to Marisa Tomei and, to a lesser extent to Rob Morrow who create engaging characters who save the film from its plot excesses. We had only seen Tomei once previously, in 'My Cousin Vinny'. We recognize that many found her work in that movie very funny, but we thought her character was annoying at best. Her portrayal of Evie in 'Only Love' is refreshing. Honorable Mentions to Paul Freeman (who we know from 'Monarch of the Glen')and Jeroen Krabbé ('Prince of Tides' and 'The Fugitive') who salvaged characters who would have been hopelessly stereotypical in lesser hands.

This movie touched my heart and made me want to immediately see it over and over again. Rob Morrow gives a wonderfully compassionate touch to this love story that leaves you breathless. I can't wait to see it again! As I stepped into the journey of this love story I was swept away by the scenes from Africa, Europe, and New York! The movie had me continuously guessing and falling in love with the characters over and over again. Rob Morrow gave a breath taking romantic portrayal of a man every woman dreams about! I have now watched it over and over again and still have the same reaction to the movie and never get tired of seeing this love story. Everyone couple should see this love story! I am looking forward to seeing it again soon!

I just got done watching Only Love and it was really very good. All the actors did a wonderful job on their characters, and you could really feel the pain of what Mathew went through. It was a very good movie and I give it a 8! James Welch Henderson Arkansas 4/9/2021.