6. I Hate Valentine's Day

I Hate Valentine's Day was nothing how I thought it would be.  Genevieve (Nia Vardalos) works at a flower shop in Brooklyn and absolutely loves Valentine's Day and romance, but is afraid to be in love.  Because of her commitment phobic tendencies she has a maximum five date rule.  After five dates she decides that the romance is gone and so is the would be relationship.  She meets Greg (John Corbett) who comes into the flower shop to buy a gift for his maybe girlfriend.  Genevieve gives him some romantic advice, but it backfires when he finds his maybe girlfriend was not a girlfriend and just more of a friend with benefits.  

Feeling foolish he returns to work on his soon to open Tappas Bar cleverly named "Get on Tappas".  Genevieve feels bad that she sent him into a trap so she goes to the bar to offer her services of flower arrangements to his restaurant.  There is a spark between the two and even though he knows that he can't a relationship with her, he decides to take her up on their five dates.  

Since he is busy getting everything ready for his bar, they have to spread their dates out over a couple of months.  This is the first time she really feels like she is getting to know someone and their fourth date turns into an weekend long sleepover.  When he doesn't call or contact for weeks afterwards she starts to get a little paranoid on why he hasn't asked her on the fifth date yet.  Turns out what she thought was four dates he counted as five and they get into a heated argument where harsh words are said.  So even though her five date rule was meant to protect her, in the end it actually hurt her.

I won't reveal whether or not they get back together in the end, but I'm confident that you can figure it out.  Or watch the movie if you really want to know.  The acting was a little obnoxious at first.  Or maybe it was the writing.  Or maybe it's just that I hate people that are always happy.  No seriously.  I once broke up with a guy because he was never upset at anything and it drove me crazy.  Just like Nia Vardalos in the movie.  Plus all the side characters seemed a little over the top.  Also, I hate to say it but the actors seemed a little too old for their characters.   But it was cute at times and had big romantic gestures that never happen in real life so maybe it wasn't that bad.  

Rating:  **

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYrlYGe_YT4