The director of Charlie’s Angels – ‘McG’ hits the movies again with This Means War.

The ravish pairing of Chris Pine and Tom Hardy alongside Reese Witherspoon works a treat for this predictable yet laugh-out-loud romantic comedy. Like Charlie’s Angels it attempts to take the cushy softness out of rom-coms, by adding elements of danger, separating the film from the genre and appealing to different audiences.

This is Hardy’s first role in a rom-com. Despite sticking to a tough guy role, his character certainly appears soft on the inside, and his versatility as an actor is shown as he plays to role with such ease and precision. Hardy’s and Pine’s natural chemistry on-screen and an equality rewarding script, formulates a ‘bromance’, which becomes the admiring factor within the movie.

The film centres upon two top CIA agents (Pine and Hardy) who test their friendship when they partake in an ‘i-want-i-get’ challenge to win the affections of a beautiful woman (Reese Witherspoon) who they both meet separately on the same day.

The emotional level is not quite the same as some of the rom-com greats, but if you can look past the stalker tendencies and two-timing; there is a romance somewhere in the mist you can enjoy.

Like every rom-com the eye candy is abundant and pristinely turned out, and Witherspoon is always a treasure in such a role - the sweet girl next door, who even manages to get away with the fact she’s two-timing two guys.

As the plot unravels the ending becomes pretty predictable, but it doesn’t have the potential to ruin the film, it just reassures you that what you thought was going to happen… does. Critics have disregarded this movie, mainly down to the genre, yet – audiences seem to love it!

(Take on this challenge: I bet you can’t make it all the way through the movie without weighing up the options as to which one you’d choose… Pine? Or Hardy?)

Certificate: 12

Release Date: 2 march 2012

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine, Tom Hardy

Director: McG

One for the Money is an adaptation of Janet Evanovich's beloved novel, yet fails to thrill on any level. Appearing mis-script, mis-cast, and mis-directed.

I’m usually the first to rave about Katherine Heigl’s movies – such as the likes of 27 Dresses, and Knocked Up. Yet, One for the Money was by far her most unbearable and soporific work yet. Heigl is such an adorable actress whose natural wit and charm usually coincides perfectly with crude and humorous material, yet her role as harder edge Jersey girl – Stephanie Plum, doesn’t play to her strengths. Plum is supposed to be an independent ‘miss-attitude’, but Heigl’s role in this character appears to flop at every hurdle, proving to be flat, unconvincing and awkward. The only savoir - is that Heigl differs from her usual ‘girl next door cutesy image’ – and appears brunette and dressed as her mum, which inversely prevents the movie from looking like a Jessica Simpson movie.

Stephanie Plum is a divorcee, who’s an unemployed ex-lingerie seller, who has recently lost her car to a debt collector. Desperate for some cash, Stephanie convinces her cousin Vinny to give her a job: as a recovery agent at his bail bonding company. Yes, the girl that is convinced pepper spray is an armed weapon, and who is squeamish at the thought of holding a gun becomes a Bounty Hunter. With no experience she puts herself forward and opts to track down the number one fugitive and bail-jumper – Joe Morelli (Jason O’Mara). The same guy that seduced her at high school…then didn’t call.

The film has no character depth, fails to surprise, and lacks any essence of flirtation or romance. The potential for flirtation and sexual tension is there – yet fails to exude. There are a few moments within the film where you are left hanging, waiting for the erosion, such as when Morelli ties Plum to a shower curtain naked. The banter and potential is there - but there is no connection what-so-ever.

There are parts that may give you the giggles, the majority due to the sassy black hookers, whose ghetto language brings a humorous edge or Plum’s battle-axe grandmother who also has a comedic script – it’s just a shame they have an unimportant small role in the movie.

If you haven’t seen any of Heigl’s previous movies, and don’t expect to see a female James Bond, then you possibly won’t be too disheartened. If you take this film with a pinch of salt, and look past the flaky premise then it’s worth a watch.

Let me know what you think!

Release Date: 24 February 2012

Certificate: 12

Starring: Katherine Heigl, Jason O’Mara, Daniel Sunjata

Director: Julie Anne Robinson