Leap Year (2010)
According to Irish tradition every Leap Year Day (February 29th) women are encouraged to propose to their men. Hearing this tradition, Anna (Amy Adams) decides to follow her long-term boyfriend Jeremy to Ireland, where he has gone on a business trip, in order to propose to him. However, her journey is not that simple as due to bad weather she is diverted to Wales where she takes a boat across the Irish Sea only to be dumped in a country village due to bad weather and not Dublin where Jeremy is. Anna is left to ask for a lift to Dublin from barman Declan (Matthew Goode) who rather begrudging agrees but only for a price as he is desperate for money to save his bar from being closed. Their journey to Dublin hits many problems along the way but the relationship that grows between the two leads leaves you wishing Anna changes her mind about proposing to Jeremy who quite obviously doesn’t love her as much as she loves him.
Amy Adams is brilliant as the spoiled American, arriving in a rural Irish town with a very expensive suitcase and high heels. Through the film we see her beginning to let loose a little and start to enjoy life and this new world she has entered into. She comes across as being quite naïve but we see a steeliness underneath this as she confidently works her way across Ireland, determined to reach Dublin by any means necessary.
Matthew Goode has been a favourite of mine since I saw Chasing Liberty many years ago, this was increased thanks to 27 Dressses, but now we are given all of Matthew’s greatness (i.e. his acting, not his looks…) but with the added extra of a lovely Irish accent! (Give me an Irish accent and I’m sold, there’s something about that accent that gets me every time!). As with PS I Love You, you will fall in love with the Irish setting and if like me you have an Irish connection, you will watch this film and be proud to be Irish.
Amy and Matthew work brilliantly together, their characters are complete opposites and the situation they are put in will leave you laughing throughout. Matthew is brilliant as the slightly surly Irishman who has had this strange American thrown into his life, but it is soon clear that Matthew is developing feelings for Anna along the way. Anna herself is oblivious to this in her quest to reach Jeremy, but when she eventually does will she realise the feelings she clearly has for Declan before it’s too late..?
I stumbled upon this film quite by accident but I am so glad I decided to watch it. The whole film is great, with a brilliant cast and a beautiful setting and it is definitely one I will watch again soon!
