The Love Punch

"You're much more likable these days."
"So are you."

Kate Jones (Thompson) and Richard Jones (Brosnan) have been divorced for years.  Their two children, Sophie (Tuppence Middleton) and Matt (Jack Wilkinson), are off at college.  Richard is in the process of selling his company and retiring.  Kate is trying to re-enter the dating world.  Richard learns that his company was bought by a bankrupt business and now everyone has lost their pensions.  Unable to afford their homes and the children's tuitions, he asks Kate to help him get their money back.

They travel to Paris to talk to Vincent Kruger (Lafitte), the man behind their financial ruin.  When he refuses to return their money, they decide to take drastic measures.  They call in their best friends and neighbors Jerry (Spall) and Penelope (Imrie) and plan a complicated heist.  Can their crazy plan work, or will they end up in jail or dead?


The film feels simultaneously familiar and absurd, mostly the latter.  It is an interesting premise and a good cast... but the story falls short. It is an enjoyable ride, but not a great film.

Emma Thompson is always likeable in film; she is endearing and funny here.  Pierce Brosnan is a good match for her, with his James Bond charms.  The film subtly nods to the Bond franchise with little moments throughout.  Timothy Spall is funny as the unpredictable Jerry.  Celia Imrie is good as Penelope, especially in the scene with the gun.  The biggest surprise was French actress Louise Bourgoin as Manon.  You don't expect her to do much in the film, but she is a hidden gem.  Laurent Lafitte is an ok villain.  The film wisely spends most of its time with Brosnan, Thompson, Spall and Imrie.

The story is ridiculous and way beyond the "suspension of disbelief"... it isn't a bad thing, but it isn't even pretending to be grounded in reality.  A laid back heist film with a fun cast.

The Love Punch (2013) 94 minutes
Rating: PG-13 for some sexual content, language and rude humor
Director: Joel Hopkins
Starring: Emma Thompson as Kate Jones
Pierce Brosnan as Richard Jones
Celia Imrie as Penelope
Timothy Spall as Jerry
Louise Bourgoin as Manon Fontane
Laurent Lafitte as Vincent Kruger