Featured DVD Review: Bending All the Rules

June 18, 2011

Bending All the Rules - Buy from Amazon

There are many routes films can take before they are finally seen by audiences. There are massive blockbusters that have a final release date set before the script is finished, like How to Train Your Dragon 2, which doesn't come out for another three years. Then there are films that sit on a shelf somewhere collecting dust year after year with seemingly no hope of every being released. Bending All the Rules is one such film. It was made in 2002 but spent the better part of a decade unreleased. But now that one of its stars, Bradley Cooper, is one of the hottest box office draws, the film is coming out direct-to-DVD. The question is simple, was it worth the wait?

The Movie

The star of the movie is Colleen Porch, who plays Kenna, a photographer / waitress. She's also dating two guys. The first is Martin, who works for a software company, the second is Jeff, a radio DJ, who also works as a bartender at the same bar that Kenna is a waitress. Kenna is not only dealing with this love triangle, but she's also preparing for her first big show as a photographer. We also see some flashbacks of Kenna's childhood with her growing up spending time with a traveling carnival, which has molded her into the person she is today.

Meanwhile, the two men she is dating are also dealing with personal issues. Martin is dealing with work and the potential for a big promotion, while also dealing with a family situation. He's of Cuban descent, but his father thinks he doesn't treat his heritage with enough reverence. Likewise, Jeff is dealing with a family situation. His mother disapproves of his job and his relationship. He's got a law degree, but hates the law profession, which is why he's working at a bar. His mom wants him to get a job with a future, and think about dating women he could end up marrying, and she doesn't think Kenna is a candidate for that.

There's really not much of a plot to talk about. It's a simple love triangle with all three people dealing with personal issues. We see them try to work things through, but mostly we just see them talk. We see them talk, a lot. This is a very talkative movie, but unfortunately, not a lot of what is said is that interesting. It's an ultra-low budget film and suffers from all of the problems that go along with low production values, inexperienced actors, very likely tight shooting schedules, etc. The film could have also benefited by a wittier script with better dialogue, which it something you can't blame on the budget.

The Extras

There are no extras on the DVD.

The Verdict

I don't think I'm being unfair to suggest that Bending All the Rules would not be released this week if it weren't for Bradley Cooper's sudden rise in fame. I suspect the studio is hoping to sell a lot of DVDs based on his name recognition alone, but I think a lot of these people will be disappointed.


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