Over Her Dead Body

I recently watched two movies about a person moving on in life after losing their significant other. Each movie addresses the issue differently, but I liked both movies, for the most part.

The first movie I watched was Over Her Dead Body. This movie centers around Henry, who is trying to enter the dating world after losing his fiancé, Kate, who was killed on their wedding day the year before. In an effort to speed the process up, his sister (who really does just want him to be happy) talks a part-time psychic into telling Henry that she has received a message from Kate that she wants Henry to move on. As soon as Henry begins to trust the psychic, Ashley, he begins to fall for her, as well, and his sister’s plan seems to be right on track.

Nobody could account, however, for the fact that Kate, who has not moved on herself, is not ready for Henry to move on, either. On the contrary, she makes it her mission to thwart any and all chances that Henry and Ashley might make it. Although Ashley never saw or heard from Kate in the beginning, Kate makes her presence known to Ashley, who initially freaks out at seeing a ghost, but eventually chooses to defy Kate’s wishes and dates Henry anyway.

This movie was good, but not GREAT. I’m not a huge fan of Paul Rudd, who plays Henry…especially as a leading man. I think he’s fine as the supportive friend/sidekick to the real leading man…but he doesn’t pull of the “main squeeze” role for me. I don’t know why…he just doesn’t. Similarly, Ashley is played by an actress whose name I don’t even know, and who I don’t recognize from anything else. She’s likeable enough, but she’s not a strong enough presence to sell the movie.

Eva Longoria Parker plays Kate, and she’s my favorite person in the movie. In spite of the fact that she knows she is dead…and logically, Henry cannot be expected to pine for her forever…she isn’t willing to let go just yet. She is able to appear whenever she wants in Ashley’s life, and can make Ashley see and hear things that nobody else can. One of the funniest scenes is when Ashley and Henry go off for a weekend together, and Kate has Ashley convinced that Henry is farting up a storm in their hotel room. What can I say? Farts are funny.

Overall, this movie, like I said, is good…but it’s not a new favorite. I don’t think it set out to be the biggest comedy blockbuster of all time…just a fun, pleasant movie…and it achieved that goal. I don’t regret having watched it, but it wasn’t anything that knocked my socks off either.