A sizable Time magazine piece by Belinda Luscombe called “Who Killed The Love Story?” went up yesterday. It’s a state-of-the-industry lament about what Hollywood has been giving mainstream audiences in the way of good, affecting love stories, and with a dispiriting answer — damn few. Luscombe goes all over the map, mentions a lot of titles and talks to a lot of people, and nowhere — not even anecdotally or parenthetically — does she mention Once, the most affecting romantic movie in ages.
That’s because Once hasn’t made enough dough to qualify, in Time‘s eyes, as a bona fide romantic film. This is an absolutely idiotic way to look at it. Once has only made $6.5 million, but it’s held onto screens since opening last May by continuing to pull in urban singles and couples and ubers. It obviously has a following, and some (like Awards Daily‘s Sasha Stone) are even talking about it being a possible Best Picture contender.
If I were Luscombe’s senior editor, I would give her a tongue-lashing and then put her on suspension for two weeks. Reporters Hilary Hylton and Rita Healy should be ashamed also. I mean this. This is one of the dumbest omissions I’ve ever seen in a major news weekly — crass, clueless.