'The Trouble With Men and Women'

It's a boring title, and the premise is far from fascinating—lovelorn Matt (Joseph McFadden) is abandoned by his girlfriend and searches fruitlessly for love before realizing that his best friend's girl (Kate Ashfield) may be The One. What makes the movie work, though, is its unflinching realism, achieved via gritty digital- video cinematography, and an openness toward sex that you won't find in the oeuvres of Ashley Judd or Kate Hudson. Director Tony Fisher is a little bit overfond of a particular slow-motion effect, however; initially, it seems like a great way to portray drunkenness and daze, but after a few too many uses, you get the impression that it was just a button on his camera that he became excessively amused with. Still, the mostly unknown actors are charming, and while the story is formulaic, it never feels blatantly contrived.