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Angelina Jolie enters the romantic comedy arena with her starring turn in director Stephen Herek's “Life or Something Like it.” Donning a platinum blond wig and a major 'Ms. Perfect' attitude, Jolie proves once again that she can transform herself into any character, no matter how shallow the script.

“Life or Something Like it” asks the thought-provoking question: if you knew you only had one week to live, how would you spend it? Would you bother showing up for work? Would you put right all those bad relationships and feelings you've shoved deep into your subconscious? Or would you just keep on keeping on?

News reporter/talking head Lanie Kerrigan (Jolie) doesn't know where to turn when Prophet Jack (Tony Shalhoub), a homeless street seer who is batting 1,000 in the accuracy category, predicts she has one week to live. Up until his dire pronouncement, Lanie believed her life was about as perfectly sculpted as her bleach blond hair. Her live-in relationship with Cal (Christian Kane) - a handsome though dumb as wood Seattle Mariners baseball player - is superficially fulfilling. She's got a fabulous job as an on-air TV personality and she's up for a big promotion at the network. The only rocky aspects of her life involve a strained relationship with her sister and an antagonistic work relationship with Pete (Edward Burns), a cameraman who pulls no punches while belittling her for her narcissistic behavior.

As Prophet Jack's prediction works its way deeper under Lanie's skin, Pete the cameraman goes from gloating over her predicament to becoming the one honest shoulder she can lean on for support. As the 7th day of the prediction draws closer, Lanie does her best to come to terms with all of the unfinished relationship business in her life, while sorting out what's truly meaningful and important.

Unfortunately, the film's 'what if' concept just doesn't play out as well as it might have. I'm not entirely sure if it's the lack of interesting characters or the fact that the script is flat, but no matter the cause, the end result is a disappointing film that loses steam halfway through. Despite valiant efforts by Jolie, Burns, Shalhoub, and Kane, “Life or Something Like it” comes up short in both romance and comedy.

Overall Grade: C-

"Life or Something Like it" is rated PG-13 for sexual content, brief violence and language.


Director: Stephen Herek
Producers: Arnon Milchan, John Davis, Chi-Li Wong, and Toby Jaffe
Written By: John Scott Shepherd and Dana Stevens
Director of Photography: Stephen H. Burum
Production Designer: Bill Groom
Film Editor: Trudy Ship
Costume Designer: Aggie Rodgers
Music By: David Newman
Casting: Sharon Bialy, CSA
Set Decorator: Lesley Beale
Art Director: Helen Jarvis

Lanie - Angelina Jolie
Pete - Edward Burns
Cal - Christian Kane
Prophet Jack - Tony Shalhoub
Lanie's Father - James Gammon
Andrea - Melissa Errico
Deborah Connors - Stockard Channing
Gwen - Lisa Thornhill
Dennis - Greg Itzin
Vin - Max Baker
Mo - Andromeda Dunker
Tommy - Jesse James Rutherford
Doctor - Veena Sood