Written by: Susan Granger
www.susangranger.com

Diane Lane is an accomplished actress who's married - off-screen - to hunky Josh Brolin. But, on-screen, her haunting yet unassuming beauty epitomizes conflicted, often unrequited romance. Remember "Under the Tuscan Sun"? As the opening scene here unfolds to the musical strains of "When Will I Be Loved?" - it's obvious that is yet another schmaltzy, angst-filled story of how family, friendship, compassion and love can come together, even in the most improbable way.

Sarah Nolan (that's Lane) is a nursery school teacher whose husband left her for a younger woman. It's been eight months since the divorce and her family stages a dating intervention. Her sisters (Elizabeth Perkins, Ali Hillis) are pushing her back into the game, pointing out how their widowed father (Christopher Plummer) is reaping rewards via Internet dating and placing an ad for Sarah on perfectmatch.com. After some preliminary misfortunes, two eligible suitors surface.

There's an intense, idealistic boat builder, Jake Anderson (John Cusack), who handcrafts wooden racing sculls and neurotically measures real-life romance against the devotion in "Dr. Zhivago," and Bob Connor (Dermot Mulroney), the seemingly perfect, newly separated dad of one of her young students. And the "must love dogs" gimmick quickly disintegrates.

Basing his screenplay on Claire Cook's best-seller, writer/director Gary David Goldberg never succumbs to the utter predictability of the plot. Instead, he relishes the poignancy and comedic individuality of his quirky characters and the family dynamic. The closeknit ensemble enchants, particularly irresistible Stockard Channing in a supporting role.

On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, "Must Love Dogs" is a charming, sweet 7. It wraps a leash around your heart.

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