Review: ‘New Year’s Eve’ Fun RomCom to Close out the Year – or Welcome a New One

It’s a sad time of year. The Holiday Movie Season, which started with horror three months ago, is drawing to a close. “New Year’s Eve” is a good flick to end the year. Or begin a new one.

The 2011 romcom was crafted and directed by the late Garry Marshall. I’ve since learned it’s the middle film in an unofficial trilogy. This was good enough to consider checking out the others.

I love this type of movie. Multiple storylines converging on a single night. In this case, December 31, 2011. As the opening narration advises, it’s a time when the whole world gets together to celebrate the hope of a new year.

Ensemble Cast

What blew me away was the ensemble cast. It reads like a Hollywood All-Star roster. Actors I enjoy like Ashton Kutcher, Sarah Jessica Parker, Katherine Heigl – to barely scratch the surface. It also features musicians Ludacris and Jon Bon Jovi. And appearances by Ryan Seacrest and Michael Bloomberg.

I won’t spoil the movie by revealing the plethora of others – discovering each as they pop up is a treat.

The numerous plots are set out at the open, as we are introduced to the various characters. It’s New York City (obviously). Claire (Hilary Swank) oversees the ball drop at Time’s Square. Kim (Sarah Jessica Parker) is searching the city for her teenage daughter (Abigail Breslin) who has snuck out to meet a boy.

Pregnant women (Sarah Paulson and Jessica Biel) battle for a prize awarded to the first newborn of the new year. A malcontent (Ashton Kutcher) is stuck in an elevator with a beautiful singer (Lea Michele).

And a lot more.

“New Year’s Eve” is an ambitious film. The scope of the cast and multiple storylines is akin to flipping through the channels when there’s nothing on TV to watch. Which may be my biggest problem.

At 2 hours, it’s a bit plodding, and there are so many characters it’s impossible to get invested in any of them. Some of the stories got repetitive, and I wasn’t fully into the characters.

My favorite sub-plot involved a courier (Zac Efron) helping a woman (Michelle Pfeiffer) check off a list of resolutions. “It’s New Year’s Eve.” He states to a friend before his night goes astray. “We have to do something.” This pairing was the most genuine and had the best moments of the movie. It could be a full-length film on its own, but here it was only brushed upon.

As 2023 ends, “New Year’s Eve” is a fun movie to check out. Rent don’t buy – its not something you’ll revisit.

Download the JustWatch App for the best place to find “New Year’s Eve”