To pull off true love in today's world sometimes you have to lay everything on the line. That's definitely the case for Kevin Gibbons (Lance Bass), a young Chicagoan, who finally meets the girl of his dreams... and lets her get away due to his lifelong lack of confidence. When Kevin first spies Abbey (Emmanuelle Chriqui) high above the city on the "L" train, he is struck with a bad case of love at first sight. But that's all it is: a sighting. He doesn't get her number. He doesn't get her name. He doesn't get a date. All he gets is a feeling, a feeling that won't let him alone until him and his buddies, including Rod (Joey Fatone), set out on a clever, but nearly calamitous, cross-city chase to find his mystery soul mate again. Soon, Kevin becomes a magnet for every die-hard romantic in the city... except for the one he's desperately seeking.
Based on the short film of the same name.
Special Agent Matti
On the line is a nice little romantic comedy that has two hooks in it: the first is that it stars two members of 'NSYNC, the second is that the protagonist puts up posters declaring his love for a woman he can't find.
The first hook is pretty standard: famous singer/s move into the movie market to cash in on their fame. Sometimes this works as the singer is actually an actor, too, like Jennifer Lopez in Blood and wine, The cell or even Enough. Sometimes this doesn't work, like Maria Carey in All that glitters. Lance and Joey are suited to their roles, the former being a boofy bloke and the latter being a SNAG. If you like 'NSYNC you'll like ON the line.
The second hook is - to my eyes - more interesting than the first. I've personal ads in the paper ("I was the guy with the leather jacket and you said that you really liked the way I smiled") but never have I seen someone do a poster run. It's a good concept to base a film around even though the results are predictable: boy meets girl; boy loses girl; lots of desperate women pretending to be The One; boofy mates impersonate the hero; newspeople pick up the story; newspeople uncover dirty dealings; hero turns into a bastard; hero apologises; boy gets girl.
On the line is a fun - albeit unchallenging - romantic comedy that leans toward the Guy Movie genre (what with high school rock bands and all); good for taking your mind off things.
PG (Low level coarse language, medium level violence)
85 minutes (1:25 hours)
Film: 4 July 2002 - Sydney
DVD rental: 18 December 2002
VHS rental: 18 December 2002
DVD retail: 28 May 2003
