'Love Happens' review

Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston (Credit: Kimberley French/Universal)

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You could call Dr. Burke Ryan (Aaron Eckhart) the Dr. Phil of death: a grief guru who, following the death of his wife, hosts popular motivational seminars to help those who've lost loved ones. Apparently, he needs to take some of his own advice, since Burke hasn't fully dealt with his own loss. Enter wry, earnest Eloise (Jennifer Aniston), a local florist he meets at a seminar in Seattle. You don't need a PhD to figure out what...happens.

The buzz: Not to be confused with "Love Actually," the 2003 British ensemble piece, or the upcoming "Love Hurts," about a changed man trying to woo back his estranged wife. This one's a romance starring Jennifer Aniston! Hmm...that's not much help, either.

The verdict: Aaron, oh Aaron, what's a nice guy like you doing in a movie like this? The supremely underrated actor (from "Thank You for Smoking" and "The Dark Knight") seems above such syrupy material, which accessorizes sentimentality with yet more sentimentality. Really, do we need an overblown group-therapy scene that involves walking on hot coal? Or a climactic public meltdown that's visible a mile away? Or cutesy romantic ticks, like when Eloise scribbles obscure words behind paintings at Burke's hotel, which he then deciphers? The saving grace turns out to be Eckhart and Aniston, whose combined charisma makes all the mush palatable. Eckhart's everyman likeability shines through, while Aniston exorcizes her innate Rachel-ness—the "Friends" ghost is a bitch to shake off, yeah?—with a cleverly muted performance.

Did you know? There are some nifty cameos here, including Frances Conroy ("Six Feet Under") as Eloise's mom, the always-appealing Martin Sheen as Burke's father-in-law, and the terrific Judy Greer ("27 Dresses"), sadly relegated to the role of Eloise's flower-shop sidekick. Come on, Hollywood, can you finally give this talented actress her big break?

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