In all honesty, John Krasinski and Ginnifer Goodwin were not on my list of favorite actors recently. That might be hard for fans of “The Office” or “Big Love” to believe, but neither actor has shown much life on the less forgiving big screen. Well, that is up until now.
Goodwin, for example, was fine as Margene on “Big Love,” but she was annoyingly whiny in “He’s Just Not That Into You” (I believe the term was “nails on a chalkboard”). Krasinski, on the other hand, was a refreshing surprise in his breakout role on “The Office,” but his work in “License to Wed” was painful and he’s hardly the most memorable part of “Away We Go” (assuming you’re a cult fan of the dramedy which this writer is not). He showed some charm in George Clooney’s underrated “Leatherheads,” but was it because he surprisingly just fits in period movies? (See Renee Zellwegger’s career, surprise, also in “Leatherheads”). So, imagine my surprise when the most appealing aspect of the new Warner Bros. romantic comedy “Something Borrowed” are the winning performances from both Goodwin and Krasinski.
Based on the popular Emily Griffin novel, “Borrowed” centers on Rachel, a just turned 30 New Yorker who has always been the passive half of a close friendship with childhood BFF Darcy (a winking Kate Hudson as a self-centered pretty girl). Darcy is about to marry Dex (Colin Egglesfield) who turns out to be the love of Rachel’s life and the man she’s stupidly never expressed her true feelings for. Ethan, played by Krasinski, also grew up with Rachel and Darcy, but finds himself increasingly as Rachel’s confidante (and no, he’s not playing the gay best friend either). Both actors portray their characters as more likable and sympathetic than the script dictates which only helps during the more implausible sequences in the film. They’ve got nice movie careers ahead of them even if “Borrowed” isn’t the typical movie where you would have expected that talent to surface.
Speaking to both TV veterans earlier this month, the duo immediately displayed a genuine affection for each other (if he can dish it and tease, so can she). Moreover, when discussing the film they revealed that while they brought many of their own ideas to the table in order to make “Borrowed” work on screen they also admitted there was pressure to live up to the expectations of the book’s hardcore fans. You can watch my complete interview with the talented duo embedded in this post.
For more from Krasinski, check out his comments about “The Office” without Steve Carell here.
“Something Borrowed” opens nationwide on May 6.