Say Anything... (1989)

Cameron Crowe's debut feature is a classic romantic comedy/drama about an underachiever who falls for a valedictorian, and the class struggles that ensue as they court romance within their disparate social groups. It's a charming film full of memorable performances that only seem to get better with age, even though it's filled with tropes that have been overused for the past 40 years.

3½ boomboxes outside your window out of 5

DAN IN REAL LIFE [2007]

Writer/director Peter Hedges does such a good job at writing family turmoil I'm not quite sure I'm always comfortable with it, even when it's a harmless comedy-drama like Dan In Real Life.

Steve Carell and Juliette Binoche do an exceptional job as the realistically written pair unwillingly falling for each other.  It's simple and not particularly original but the cast and the characters keep it from getting too stale or tiresome.  Just a pleasant view and nothing more or less.

3 murderers of love out of 5