Oh, Angelina. As you go through these all-too-public trials with
your dad and (ex?) husband Billy Bob, I wish there was something more
I could do to ease your pain and ensure your future emotional well
being. Instead, I have the dubious task of reviewing your latest big-
screen effort now making its way to DVD, Life or Something Like It.
Now don't worry - like most other American critics, I didn't hate the
movie - but fellow Angelina fans know that you're capable of much more
than this. Maybe the writing wasn't up to par, maybe the atmosphere
during the shoot just wasn't conducive enough to enable you to reach
the extraordinary depths you have in the past the material, or
whatever. But this film just falls flat.
Trust me, Angie - can
I call you Angie? - it's not your fault. Even underneath that
ridiculous Marilyn wig, you have a screen charisma to be reckoned
with. You're beautiful, sassy, demure, and surprisingly human screen
presence both in spite of and because you possess such otherworldly
supermodel qualities. With your most renowned, well-received work -
Girl, Interrupted (even if it's a few years late, congrats on that
Oscar, baby!), or Gia - you were able to confidently take charge, but
also subvert that popcorn gloss with a delicate shade of
vulnerability. But you and Edward Burns? That doesn't work very
well. Sure, his sardonic sense of humor seems slightly in tune with
your way of doing business, but there's a lack of chemistry: While
it's no one's fault (scratch that, it's Edward's, isn't it, Angie?)
there's no heat, no electricity. And the overheated story of you
learning the true meaning of life? Yikes. Once a street philosopher
(Tony Shalhoub) tells you you're going to die, it doesn't help make
for much in the way of nice, pleasant romantic comedy fodder. Miss
Jolie, you have so much potential that pedestrian story structures
like this just hold you back!
Long story short, Angelina, your
fans are going to support you, even with subpar material like Life or
Something Like It. It is hardly stellar filmmaking, and only you give
it any small sense of purpose to make it bearable. I can't deny that
there's a part of me that wishes you'd take more gutsy roles, but your
other fans and I are here for you. So good luck with your personal
problems, I hope things work out. I don't know that I can use my space
here to actually recommend your movie, but I tell you what, I
encourage our readers to at least give it a rental. How does that
sound? Just please don't make any more like it. 
Video: How
Does The Disc Look?
Presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic
widescreen, this looks just...okay. The film is expansive and often
full of pleasant, picaresque landscapes, but blacks could have been
more solid and contrast is just fair. We also don't get the best in
terms of color reproduction, as hues could have been just a bit
brighter and more lush, which is this transfer's main drawback. Detail
ends up being standard at best, but at least there is little edge
enhancement and no compression artifacts to worry about. Still, just
fair.
Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?
The 5.1
Dolby surround mix included here is nice, if not particularly
impressive. Dynamic range is surprisingly limited, with little in the
way of real low or high end and a flat performance from the .1 LFE.
Stereo separation across the front soundstage is nicely done, and
dialogue - so essential to a romantic comedy like this - isn't overrun
by all the blatant pop songs and loud music cues. Surround use is
fairly good, offering at least some sense of envelopment in more
active outdoor scenes. Perhaps above average for a "comedy"
mix, but hardly stellar. 
Also included are French and Spanish
2.0 Dolby surround dubs, English and Spanish soundtracks, and English
Closed Captions.
Supplements: What Goodies Are There?
Perhaps to make room for the pan & scan version provided on the
flipside of the disc, our sole extra here is a screen-specific audio
commentary with director Stephen Herek. He's very well-spoken and has
many interesting perspectives on various aspects of the film, but
overall the commentary is spread a little thin. Kinda bland, kind of
run-on, and to much dead space. Not bad, but where's Angelina?
Oddly, there are no trailers or any other goodies at all. Hmmph!
DVD-ROM Exclusives: What do you get when you pop the disc
in your PC?
No ROM extras have been included.
Parting Thoughts
Life or Something Like It isn't as
bad as you may have heard, but it isn't all that great, either. The
Seattle locations are beautiful, and our lady Angelina has quite a few
nice screen moments, but it's hard to recommend this one to anyone
other than the most forgiving Jolie fans (especially at its relatively
steep $27.95 list price). But I promised Angelina I'd say it's at
least worth a rental...