Line #21 Film/ALifeLessOrdinary


1	[[quoteright:271:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/A-Life-Less-Ordinary_7906.jpg]]
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3	A [[TheNineties 1997]] [[RomanticComedy rom-com]] by Creator/DannyBoyle that takes place in a world with [[BlueAndOrangeMorality very strange rules of morality]]: True Love reigns supreme and divine [[SlidingScaleofFreeWillvsFate Fate]] is in danger of succumbing to human chaos, and very little else matters, morally speaking.
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5	Creator/EwanMcGregor plays the down-on-his luck Robert, who impulsively decides to give a piece of his mind to his former boss after he loses his job, his girlfriend, and even his house, the last due to meddling angels Jackson (Delroy Lindo) and O'Reilly (Creator/HollyHunter). When Robert storms into Mr Naville's office, however, things take an rather unexpected turn, and he ends up taking Naville's daughter Celine (Creator/CameronDiaz) along with him at gunpoint.
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7	Full of [[BlackComedy dark humor]] and PostModernism, it's a fun ride, and an interesting take on the romantic comedy.
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10	!!Tropes:
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12	* AbductionIsLove: The main premise of the story.
13	* ActorAllusion: Creator/EwanMcGregor looking under the floorboards for the money is a nod to ''Film/ShallowGrave'', which was also about stolen money.
14	* BoundAndGagged: Celine, after being kidnapped for the second time.
15	-->'''O'Reilly''': ''(a knock at the door)'' Answer it, Jackson.\
16	'''Jackson''': I can't do that. We're playing TabletopGame/{{blackjack}}, she might cheat while I'm out of the room.\
17	''(Celine rolls her eyes - the only part of her that can move.)''
18	* BreakTheCutie: What happens to Robert at the beginning of the movie.
19	* ButtMonkey: Robert. Bad luck seems to just follow him wherever he goes.
20	* CelestialBureaucracy: And how.
21	* ChewingTheScenery: Holly Hunter as O'Reilly. The entire cast takes their turn at it, really, but... O'Reilly is the character that devours the most scenery.
22	* DaChief: Gabriel. The angel Gabriel, that is.
23	* DefrostingIceQueen: Celine.
24	* FaceHeelTurn: "Maybe we failed, Jackson, but we don't have to live like this."
25	* FakedKidnapping: Turns into this.
26	* JustifiedCriminal: Robert is perhaps the most sympathetic character in the film--and even though YMMV on that, he ''is'' certainly one of the protagonists. He's also the one who kidnapped the girl [[spoiler: who helped him escape]] at gunpoint and then [[spoiler: leaves her tied to a chair]] overnight.
27	* KaraokeBondingScene: Robert and Celine sing along to "Beyond the Sea" at a dive bar, which segues into them sleeping with each other.
28	* LonelyRichKid / RichBitch: "Only the exceptionally rich can understand how I feel right now!"
29	* LoveLetterLunacy: Immediately precedes [[spoiler: the angels']] FaceHeelTurn.
30	* MountainMan: The incredibly bizarre Todd Johnson.
31	* MostWritersAreWriters: Robert. Unlike most examples, he freely admits his book is cheap trash created to be read on airplanes and forgotten almost instantly and has no delusions about his talents or aspirations.
32	* NiceGuy: Robert is a really sweet, sincere guy even with his being a kidnapper. He can't even make a threatening ransom call without making polite conversation.
33	* OutlawCouple: [[spoiler: Robert and Celine]], eventually.
34	* ShellShockedVeteran: PlayedForLaughs with [[DelusionsOfDoghood Felix]].
35	* SuspiciouslySpecificDenial:
36	-->'''Todd:''' 'What do you think I am? Some sort of backwoods lunatic with a barn full of human skulls and a scythe that I sharpen every night in preparation for armaggeddon?' ''
37	* UndercoverAsLovers: Celine explains their secrecy to Mr Johnson by telling him that Robert is a world-famous singer and they're on their honeymoon, trying to stay out of the prying eye of the paparazzi.
38	* WilliamTelling: The film begins with Celine shooting an apple off her butler's head with a revolver. By his behaviour, this is a regular occurrence. It's later revealed that she once shot her (now ex) boyfriend in the head while trying the stunt.
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Context Film / ALifeLessOrdinary