Starring:
Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Costner, Shirley MacLaine, Mark Ruffalo and Mena Suvari

Director:
Rob Reiner

Running Time:
96 mins

Out to buy on DVD 22/05/06

• Kevin Costner and Shirley MacLaine do their best with the characters
• Interesting premise

• Mentions 'The Graduate' connection far too much
• Lacklustre script
• Doesn't utilise the comedic potential of the cast

"We are the Robinsons"

Sarah

As Sarah (Aniston) returns home is Pasadena for her sister's wedding, she discovers a family secret that could completely change her relationship with them. She discovers that back in the early 60s, her grandmother Katharine (MacLaine) seduced one of her daughter Jocelyn's high school friends, Beau Burroughs (Costner) before she ran off with him herself. This was then turned into a book by Burroughs' best friend Charles Webb and then later a very famous movie with Anne Bancroft and Dustin Hoffman. Could Sarah's family be the Robinson's and could the Graduate be her real father?

The thought of making a sequel to 'The Graduate' reeks of Hollywood desperate lack of ideas but 'Rumour has it…' isn't really a follow up.

This isn't really a true sequel to the classic Mike Nichols movie but it utilises an interesting premise to make the connection. According to the movie, the book by Charles Webb was based upon an actual scandal that shook Pasadena in the early 60s but it wasn't until in 1997 when Rachel realised that her mother was pregnant before she got married that she made the connection. This is an ingenious way of connecting the new movie to the old but this is the only ingenious thing about the movie.

Director Rob Reiner used to be a director that you could rely on for quality entertainment. With hits like 'When Harry met Sally', 'Stand by Me', 'The Princess Bride' and 'This is Spinal Tap' behind him, the director's form has suffered since the turn of the millennium. 'Rumour has it…' doesn't do anything to buck that trend.

The main problem with the film is it lacks any kind of heart. The connection to 'The Graduate' story is the only redeeming quality of the movie but it is mentioned far too much. Once the connection has been outlined the audience doesn't need constantly reminding of it. The lack of any real laughs makes this a romantic comedy without the comedy. There is nothing here that is even slightly amusing or even managing to raise a smile.

The script really lets down the ensemble cast. Jennifer Aniston is arguably one of the most gifted comedic actresses of her generation but the role of Sarah doesn't really push her talents. The film relies more on her looks than her gift for comedic timing and this is to the real determent of movie. For a very talented character actor, Mark Ruffalo seems to be doing far too many romantic comedies of late. This is a complete waste of his time as the character of Jeff is far too clichéd and extremely one-dimensional. The same can be said about both Richard Jenkins and Mena Suvari's characters. Shirley MacLaine as Sarah's seductive grandmother Katherine and Kevin Costner as Beau Burroughs a little fair better as they bring a little class to the proceedings but even they can't make up for the shortcomings of the script.

'Rumour has it…' completely lacks any charm to draw the audience in. The performances also do little to capitalise on an interesting connection to 'The Graduate', making the film extremely average. The rumours are true, this just isn't very good.