Rachel (Goodwin) has been friends with Darcy (Hudson) her entire life, despite their vast personality differences - Rachel is shy and bookish while Darcy is a vain and hard partying airhead. At Rachel's thirtieth birthday party she ends up spending the night with Darcy's fiancé Dex (Egglesfield) and begins to realise she's been in love with him for years. The problem is,of course, that he is set to marry her best friend.
This film contains examples of the following:
- Abhorrent Admirer: Ethan considers Claire to be this.
- Though it could be considered Justified because Ethan is actually in love with Rachel and doesn't want another girlfriend period.
- Also, Claire is just plain clingy and annoying.
- Though it could be considered Justified because Ethan is actually in love with Rachel and doesn't want another girlfriend period.
- All Love Is Unrequited: Claire loves Ethan who loves Rachel who loves Dex.
- Big Applesauce: There are quite a few scenes in the Hamptons and a few more in London but NYC is the main location.
- Bittersweet Ending: Rachel gets the guy, but Darcy ends up pregnant and they never speak to each other again.
- In the sequel novel Something Blue, Rachel and Darcy reconnect after Darcy has her babies, and Rachel and Dex attend Darcy's wedding to Ethan.
- Not to mention that Dex has already shown that he has little qualms about having an affair on the side without telling the person he's with...
- Black-and-Gray Morality: Antagonist Darcy is a selfish, entitled brat who has no problem skating through life on her good looks and cheating on her fiancé. Protagonist Rachel is a kind, sheepish girl next door...who sleeps with her best friends fiancé.
- Brainless Beauty: Darcy is very vain and more than a little vapid.
- Brainy Brunette: Rachel (though arguably she's more auburn her personality and contrast with Darcy is definitely Brainy Brunette.)
- Composite Character: The film version completely axes the character of Hillary, Rachel's confidant, from the book and gives the role to Ethan, who does exist in the book as well, but is given very little to do.
- Ethan has more to do in the sequel novel Something Blue, where he helps Darcy resettle in London, and eventually marries her and adopts her twin sons.
- Good Adultery, Bad Adultery: Mostly based on Darcy being very self absorbed, she also cheats on the fiancee to make it clear neither side was really invested in the relationship.
- I Am Not Pretty: Rachel, played by the absurdly beautiful Ginnifer Goodwin, doesn't think she's hot enough to be seen out with Dex.
- It's All About Me: Darcy spends most of her toast at Rachels birthday party talking about herself.
- Love Epiphany
- Product Placement:
- Rachel drinks a Diet Pepsi can with the logo carefully placed where the camera can catch it.
- The people in the movie drink an awful lot of Heineken, again with the labels carefully placed for the camera.
- There's a long, lingering shot of a taxicab with a very bright Sprint ad on its roof.
- Sorry, I'm Gay / Faux Yay: See Abhorrent Admirer above.
- The Stinger / Sequel Hook / To Be Continued: Don't leave when the credits start rolling.
- Two-Timing with the Bestie: Rachel sleeps with Dex, who is engaged to her best friend, Darcy. The two spend the film dancing around each other awkwardly after.
- Unlucky Childhood Friend: Poor, poor Ethan… unless you've read the second novel.
- Vitriolic Best Buds: Darcy is generally thoughtless and inconsiderate towards Rachel and Rachel doesn't seem to respect Darcy very much. Actually, it's not clear why they're friends at all.
