Barnes & Noble

Winning performances by Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron lend considerable charm to Sweet November, an otherwise predictable romantic drama with welcome flashes of humor. Keanu plays Nelson Moss, a hard-charging San Francisco ad executive who endures a compulsory stint in driving school, where he meets free-spirited Sara Deever (Theron). She immediately identifies him as a soulless, materialistic capitalist who desperately needs to slow down and smell the roses. Resorting to clever subterfuge, Sara convinces Nelson to be her roommate for one month -- 30 short days that ultimately change both their lives forever. In remaking the 1968 weepie of the same name -- which starred Sandy Dennis and Anthony Newley -- director Pat O'Connor (Inventing the Abbotts) occasionally resorts to familiar soap-opera conventions and characters (including the girl's obligatory gay best friend, played here with aplomb by Patriot villain Jason Isaacs). But he elicits fine performances from the always radiant Theron and the frequently wooden Reeves, who seems more emotionally limber than usual. The third-act revelation of Sara's "secret" won't surprise anyone who's ever seen more than three romance movies, but it's handled with tact and sensitivity. The DVD includes a behind-the-scenes featurette titled "From the Heart," cast/crew career highlights, and a theatrical trailer. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

This romantic melodrama reunites The Devil's Advocate (1997) co-stars Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron, and is directed by Irish filmmaker Pat O'Connor (Circle of Friends). Sara Deever (Theron) is a beautiful young woman who begins a new romantic relationship with a man each month, then helps him to evolve into a better and kinder human being before she moves on to the next partner. Although she's remained friendly with some of her former lovers, she's never broken her one-month rule. November's candidate is a particularly heartless business exec named Nelson Moss (Reeves), who takes a while to come around. Once he does, however, Nelson falls deeply in love, hoping to woo Sara for good; eventually, her resolve weakens. What Nelson doesn't know is the tragic secret behind the brevity of Sara's romances. A remake of a 1968 Sandy Dennis film by the same name, this contemporary version of Sweet November is less comedic and emphasizes more of its story's tearjerker qualities than the original. Karl Williams

San Francisco Chronicle

Sweet November is neither a masterpiece nor a remake of one, but its wistfulness is infectious, and its melancholy mood lingers for days. Mick LaSalle

Product Details

• UPC: 883929084982
• Source: WARNER HOME VIDEO
• Region Code: 1
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Editions: Subtitled, Repackaged
• Time: 2:00:00
• Sales Rank: 5,138

This DVD is also available as part of a box set:

• Romance Collection: 4 Film Favorites

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