Last night I attended the premiere of "Love, Rosie" the film adaptation of Cecelia Ahern's 2004 novel "Where Rainbows End." Fans of her previous novel and film "P.S. I Love You" will not be disappointed. The film is about best friends Rosie and Alex who repeatedly come close to crossing the line of friendship and love, but situations and other people keep getting in their way. Their lives change dramatically over twelve years, but the pair still maintain a deep rooted connection.
Lily Collins, who plays Rosie, is utterly enchanting. She is the perfect balance of beautiful, loveable and charismatic. You immediately feel like you're her best friend and she is as believable as an adolescent eighteen year old as she is a more mature thirty year old. There's always a fear that an American actress may stumble with the British accent, but it was on point. Alex, played by Sam Claflin, is Richard Curtis' dream protagonist. He's funny, charming, a touch awkward and witty. The chemistry between Claflin and Collins is undeniable and you're fighting for the pair to be together from the start.
The other stars of the show were Jaime Winstone who becomes the unlikely, but hilarious best friend of Rosie, the incredibly irritating Bethany who's played by Suki Waterhouse and Tamsin Egerton who is beautifully detestable as one of Claflin's love interests in the film. Christian Cooke, who plays Greg, nailed his character; a painfully familiar egotistical male with a dangerous occasional charm.
"Love, Rosie" is shot beautifully. It will have you laughing out loud, clenching your fist with frustration and welling up in the right moments. It's the perfect date movie or movie night with the girls. I highly recommend it.