Movie Review: "This Means War"

I actually saw this movie about a month ago, before everybody started getting sick, but I'll review as best I can remember.

 Although it didn't get much love from critics, I really liked this movie. I'm not a romantic comedy kind of person, I prefer action or sci-fi, but this was a good date movie. I love Reese Witherspoon, and there's a sci-fi connection with Chris Pine (Captain Kirk in the new Star Trek movies) and Tom Hardy (Picard clone in the last Start Trek:Next Generation movie). It has the predictable rom-com conventions: cute meetings, secrets, misunderstandings, a love triangle, but it also has car chases, gun battles and explosions. Really, it's sort of a mash-up of traditional romantic comedy and buddy-cop action movie, which sounds strange, but somehow works, probably on the strength of the actors.

 If you don't know the premise, two secret agent partners (CIA? It's never specified) fall for the same woman, she doesn't know they know each other, and while she feels guilty for dating them both, and agonizes about which one to choose, they use all their agency resources to sabotage each others' dates. And of course, their job intrudes in the form of the gun-running terrorist out for revenge against the agents who killed his brother.

 You would think all the movie cliches would drag this down, but it actually feels pretty light and funny. I've never cared for Chelsea Handler, but she works well as the stock character of married best friend living vicariously through her single buddy. It's probably not in theaters anymore, but it will make a great rental next time you can't decide on an action movie or a rom-com.