'Elizabethtown' packed with Crowe cliches

By Nick Norman

Early in "Elizabethtown," a shoe mogul exclaims, "We succeed through original thought!" Apparently Cameron Crowe didn't read his own script.

Drew Baylor (Orlando Bloom) loses his job and his father in the same day. He must return to his roots in deep Kentucky to plan the funeral--and meet the love of his life (Kirsten Dunst).

From the first moment of this film I expected a "Garden State" remake. I wasn't too far off the mark.

We have it all: the obnoxious girl who doesn't understand "leave me alone," the numb young man who "doesn't cry," the death of a parent, and the blaring presence of a soundtrack.

"Elizabethtown" is partially based on the actual death of Crowe's father. Because real events carry their own emotional weight, what seemed droll in the film might have been quite moving in real life.

Still, I suspect Cameron Crowe couldn't suppress his penchant for moments of trite sentimentality. I loved "Almost Famous," but "Vanilla Sky" and "Jerry Maguire" were full of cliches.

What's the difference between Crowe's "Almost Famous" and his failures? Original characters.

Kirsten Dunst's combination of a Southern accent and cotton candy bounce makes me want to put a hole in my head--or her head.

The secondary characters carry this film: Bloom's simple family, the equally benign citizens of Elizabethtown, the drunk patrons in hotel hallways, and the earnest Southern war veterans.

Like Drew Baylor, the film found redemption in the extended cast of his wholesome family.

I should have been worried when all the advertisements for "Elizabethtown" promoted the soundtrack more than the film.

Lynyrd Skynyrd, Tom Petty and a host of others comprise a soundtrack that serves as a main character instead of a backdrop.

This is a great date movie. It's easily consumed, funny, insightful and typical. Expect to be entertained but not challenged.

Because of that, I'm afraid "Elizabethtown" will end up in the bargain bin at Blockbuster. Its music, on the other hand, will continue on -- much like "Remember the Titans'" ebullient soundtrack.

So unless you have a hot date planned, read the following message and save yourself a fistful of cash:

Let yourself be happy. Give yourself permission to smile, fail, and dance.

Roll Credits.

Grade: B