From Cannes, two more romantic comedies look for foreign backing

By Sarah Sluis

Last Mother's Day weekend brought two romantic comedies: Something Borrowed did just "meh," pigeonholed as just another Kate Hudson rom-com (It wasn't!). Jumping the Broom took in just a couple million dollars more but is considered a big success--and it earned a thumbs up from our critic David Noh. This Friday's Bridesmaids may change the development game if it succeeds, opening the doors to bawdy films centered on female friendship.

One of the reasons why I liked Something Borrowed is that it had a believable obstacle to romance for the main character--the guy she desired was her best friend's fianc. Responsible Adults takes that a step further. Wouldn't it creep you out if your boyfriend used to be one of the kids you babysat? Conversely, a guy might get a kick out of dating his babysitter since it's kind of a tweak on the "hot for teacher" model. Surprisingly, this upcoming indie rom-com has cast none other than Katie Holmes in the role of a thirty-year-old who meets the perfect guy, Chace Crawford ("Gossip Girl"). He's twenty-two, and the two quickly find out she was his babysitter. John Poll (Charlie Bartlett) is directing from a script by the actor Alex Schemmer. This could be just another romantic comedy--or it could be sarcastic and racy with a little touch of Knocked Up.

Also in the works is A Little Something for Your Birthday, which has a clich-ridden premise: A clothing designer (upscale, urban professional with dream job) has trouble finding love (ding!) after her thirtieth birthday (ding! ding! ding!) Malin Akerman will play the clothing designer, and James Marsden (27 Dresses) her love interest. Anonymous Content, the production company behind films like The Beaver and Seeking a Friend at the End of the World--both of which have much more entertaining plot descriptions--is producing. Michael Engler is directing from a script by Susan Walter. Both have extensive TV credits and a smattering of film credits. Walter's script was part of the 2009 Black List, which means there might be more to the screenplay than comes across in the plot description.

There's sure to be plenty of pickups and new film announcements at Cannes, so stay tuned.