Release: Now showing
Duration: 91 minutes
Rating: PG (some suggestive content)

All the single ladies - put your hands up, because you're the target audience of the romantic-comedy When in Rome, the new film from director Mark Steven Johnson (Daredevil, Ghost Rider).

Veronica Mars star Kristin Bell plays Beth, a work-a-holic young woman who goes to Rome to live out every older-sister's nightmare, her younger sisters wedding. To make matters even worse for Beth, her father, twisting the knife of her failed relationships, tells her to find out if the new son-in-law has a brother or even a cousin to help tie her down. Problem is that Beth can't remove her phone from her hand long enough for an engagement ring to be placed on it. As a spiteful act sparked by this past relationship record, she pinches coin-age and a poker chip from the Fountain of Love at her sister's wedding. The upside is that she meets the best man and knight-in-suit, Nick (Josh Duhamel), who Beth is interested in but, unfortunately for her, it seems like someone else has snaffled him up.

Once back at home, Beth is warned by her sister's mother-in-law that due to her stealing ways she will have strangers fall in love with her. Shock and horror as a pickpocket magician (Jon Heder); a painter who likes to paint nudes on buildings (Will Arnett); a self proclaimed, egotistical model (Dax Shepard); a 'bratwurst king' (Danny DeVito); oh, and that Nick dude who she’s meant to get with by the end of the film who describes Beth as the clichéd smart, beautiful and funny – must be true love - all run into Beth in pre-meditated, stalker-like ways.

Eventually, all the blokes get their bling back and with it a lesson is learnt - love taken unwillingly, is not love at all. Single ladies, you can already learn this lesson from Practical Magic. Now, the question is posed; will Beth get rid of the weirdos and manage to gain Nick's love?

This generous cast do particularly well to enrich the somewhat dull script, written by the two dreary Davids: Diamond and Weissman (the pair responsible Evolution and The Family Man). Mark Steven Johnson manages to make Rome- as well as Beth's apartment and whatnot- look all shiny, but perhaps he should stick with his comic book adaptation roots (or, given that he has given the world Daredevil and Ghost Rider, perhaps not). Bell has left television for film, but perhaps the new medium is not necessarily greener pastures for the star– Veronica Marswas a better written and directed series that manages to cover the drama, mystery and noir spectrum, and still have more romance and comedy than this fluffy film.

Despite a few genuine laughs (such as a life-sized Fisher Price yellow car that fits in elevators and a unique sensory guide restaurant staffed by a noisy waiter), the rom-com has little to offer.

When in Rome is unfortunately a must wait for rental or telly. Even then, you would do best to rent something along the lines of Bridget Jone's Diary, You've Got Mail or Notting Hill beforehand. Hell, even Iron Man 2 featured a better romantic plot. If you've got see this film, wait around for the dance number while the credits role.

Pamela Meagher