A chick flick for guys and gals

What the original "Austin Powers" movie was to '60s spy movies, "Down with Love" is to '60s romantic comedies. Both movies are humorous parodies of the genre while at the same time honoring the era with reverence.\n"Down with Love" is the story of Barbara Novak (Renée Zellweger), a librarian from Maryland who writes a book by the same title as the movie. In order to gain publicity, she and her editor Vikki Hall (Sarah Paulson) attempt to get an article published in the premier men's magazine, KNOW, written by its star reporter Catcher Block (Ewan McGregor). When Block blows off several meetings with Novak to sleep with several stewardesses, she decides to find publicity elsewhere. \nWomen the world over begin buying her book and sales skyrocket as every woman becomes empowered against men. Now, all the women Catcher Block used to screw are empowered and no longer need him claiming they are "Down with Love" girls. Block decides the only way to solve his woes is by making the poster "Down with Love" girl Novak fall in love with him, thus proving she is not what she says she is. Block assumes the name Zip Martin and begins to pursue Novak since she has yet to meet him face-to-face.\nWhat makes "Down with Love" such a well-done parody of '60s love stories is the way it plays up the campiness of movies in the era to the maximum. For example: everything in Novak's apartment is large, full of curves and pastel -- much like her. Where as everything in Blocks is straight, dark and suave. Novak is the Austin Powers of women; everything she wears is an overblown example of how to be trendy in the '60s. But if Novak is a feminine Austin Powers; then Block is equivalent to James Bond in the face of reality. With a tilt of his head and a smile, Block can win over anyone he wants. McGregor plays the humor of this reality well and makes his egotistical side seem endearing as he attempts to win Novak without the aid of his usual tricks. Another fine performance is given by David Hyde Pierce in a type-casted role as Block's neurotic editor. He carries the secondary story quite well as the anti-Catcher Block, who is also looking for love. \n"Down with Love" is full of witty double-entendre, solid performances and '60s nostalgia. As such, it's worth a look.