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Taylor Swift and Taylor Lautner, two of the hottest young stars today,.  Are cast  along with many  veteran actors in Valentine’s Day.

By Maggie Scott

There’s a song somewhere that goes, “that’s the story of, that’s the glory of love.”  In director Garry Marshall’s hands, in his new  comedy/drama, Valentine’s Day, love’s glory sinks occasionally to sentimental claptrap when it’s spread a bit thin through a multi-generational anthology of romantic tales.

Several kinds of love are represented in a variety of characters—some with connections screenwriter Katherine Fugate keeps up her sleeve until the film’s surprisingly effective finish; some with connections and purposes to the plot that are materially meager. But, it’s clear that Marshall is wearing his heart on his sleeve here with unabashed admiration and affection for his actors—some of whom have been leads or cast members in other Marshall films.

On Valentine’s Day, expectations are running high for young and old alike, whether new to love, or old hands:  A couple become engaged (Ashton Kutcher; Jessica Alba)—but she’s got doubts; a  woman in a new relationship is hiding an unusual moonlighting job (Ann Hathaway) from her enthusiastic new partner (Topher Grace); teenagers (Emma Roberts; Carter Jenkins) make plans to end their virginity—without thinking it through; a woman (Jessica Biel) looks forward with mixed feelings to her “I Hate Valentine’s Day” party; a handsome doctor (Patrick Dempsey) is playing fast and loose with his adoring lover (Jennifer Garner); a young boy is dealing with his first crush on an “older woman” while one of the grandparents he lives with (Shirley MacLaine; Hector Elizondo) is hiding a painful secret; a bubbly cheerleader (Taylor Swift) is in the adoring throws of “isn’t he just too, too adorable!” love with a classmate (Taylor Lautner); and a caring seatmate (Bradley Cooper) on a red eye flight lends moral support to an Army captain (Julia Roberts) facing a painfully short visit with a loved one.

While much of the movie is pleasantly innocuous, it moves back and forth deftly between its characters and plot points; making an unabashed case for the glories of love—or, as Lily Tomlin expressed it, “If love is the answer, could you rephrase the question?”  A Warner Bros. release, rated PG-13 for sexual material and brief, partial nudity.

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