The Valet has a big gaping hole in the middle of it that I just couldn’t get past. But I still think it was a decent movie with some charming performances. Unfortunately, I was far more engaged with the subplots than I was the main plot… a plot that just felt forced and unconvincing.

Eugenio Debrev plays a valet who winds up in a photo with a celebrity played by Samara Weaving and her secret married lover. In order to take the heat of the very married man, they pay Debrev to pretend to be dating Weaving’s character. Wacky hijinx ensue as the clueless, average valet deals with the life of the rich and famous.

I feel like a bad human being for saying that the problem at the center of this movie are the main characters. I really like Samara Weaving usually and I’m getting used to Eugenio’s Debrev’s schtick. I just didn’t think they had any chemistry together… not that they are supposed to have romantic chemistry, but at least a casual friendship. I think Weaving is never quite warm enough and Debrev is just not connecting with her.

The film needs them to work for its main plot and it just wasn’t for me. Not even when she starts to warm up and learn valuable lessons about family or whatever.

Their costars are all doing a fine job in various subplots that are more interesting than the main plot. I wanted to see the movie with the bike shop owner or the mother and her Korean boyfriend.

But when the heart of the film isn’t working, that’s a problem. This isn’t at all a terrible movie. It’s usually warm and often kind of funny… but I just didn’t buy the core conceit. When I sit there and think I’d rather see the movie about the cute bike shop owner instead of the contrived movie star plot, that’s a problem.

Score: 78