Killers

Introduction

Jen Kornfeldt (Katherine Heigl) is a rather nice looking computer tech/nerd who has just broken up with her long-term boyfriend, or dumped really, and not feeling too great about it. Jen does what any self-respecting girl does after such a traumatic event, she goes on holiday to France with her rich parents. Her parents are a potent mix with dad (Tom Selleck) being a rather smooth chap with a gentle line in patter whilst mum (Catherine O'Hara) being a rather more brash girl with an expert handle on sarcasm.

Determined not to have her holiday defined or restricted by her parents, Jen sneaks off in Nice for some time by herself and the hope of meeting someone. Meanwhile, Spencer Aimes (Aston Kutcher) pulls up in Nice on his latest assignment. Spencer is a government agent who just happens to be an assassin with great taste in clothes and flashy cars, and not averse to having a gorgeous woman (or two) on his arms.

Bizarrely, Spencer falls for Jen and after getting permission from dad Kornfeldt, gives up his promising career of blowing things up and shooting people for a life of domestic bliss.  Jen and Spencer move into a nice suburban house with plenty of friendly neighbours and alls well in the world, for the next three years anyway.

Then comes Spencer's 30th birthday and things start to unravel. Spencer discovers he's the target of a multi-million dollar hit and Jen discovers that Spencer isn't who she thought he was. Even worse, it would appear that all those nice neighbours may just be sleeper agents awaiting the chance to kill Spencer.

Spencer now has a bit of a fight on his hands, one in trying to stay alive and the second in saving his marriage...

Extras

There's a few extras but nothing worth seeing more than once. The Behind The Scenes is your usual EPK love fest between actors and the various scene extras are ok but nothing fantastic, the editing of the film is pretty much spot on.

Overall

In all honesty I was pretty sure that I wasn't going to enjoy this, but I did. It's nothing to do with the premise, which isn't really explored in any meaningful way during the first act. A spy giving up the life for love? Not really an unexplored plot, but isn't explored at all here, it just happens over the dinner table (and a rather bizarre dinner table at that). And the happy couple move into suburbia and the spy becomes a driver with no contact from his old employers at all? Not the norm for spies, where in most other films they are killed off rather than pensioned off (save for the rather impressive RED which I watched yesterday...).

No, it's not the plot. It's the chemistry between the cast. Heigl and Kutcher are fine as the two leads but in all seriousness would not be able to carry a film of this type on their own. So you have able co-stars in Tom Selleck and Catherine O'Hara who are simply superb, with the Selleck moutache getting its own honourable mention within the script. On top of this, there are some rather delightful supporting roles including a quite brilliant one from ex-Daily Show regular Rob Wiggle, who I have since discovered is actually a Lt Colonel in the US Marines Reserve and a decorated soldier with tours in Afghanistan, Liberia and Kosovo (wow...).

The script should have a problem in that this film isn't quite just a rom-com, but actually has scenes where you have the big car chases, explosions, big fights and people dying. This should be a problem, but for it actually wasn't and maybe, just maybe, we have the ideal formula for a rom-com that both guys and gals will feel comfortable watching. The inevitable twist, when it comes, is not that surprising but the manner of it is - but again is kind of glossed over. Therefore you're left with an underwhelming setup, a weak ending but actually quite a glorious long bit in the middle. And you should still come out the other end feeling more satisfied than not.

Quite impressive really...