Let’s get this out of the way – John Patrick Shanley’s ‘Wild Mountain Thyme’ is corny, goofy, and weird. But God help me, I was utterly charmed by it. It’s old-fashioned in the best way, it will charm you, and it is one of the more romantic films I have seen this year – a rarity this year. And it stars Jamie Dornan and Emily Blunt, two actors worthy of being called movie stars. They both look smashing on screen (nice to see Dornan’s face without a lot of facial hair)  and have sizzling chemistry that will overcome anything negative that can be said of the film.

And there are some negatives: the accents are thick and all over the place that it took a while for me to get into the ‘rhythm’ of what is being said. The story is familiar and you just know how things will turn out in the end. And yes, sometimes Shanley tries too hard – you just want to tell him sometimes to relax and just tell the story. But I think these things add to the charm. The film feels like a fairy tale but not cartoonish. There’s even a charismatic third party (played by Jon Hamm) that you almost welcome because you know it will make the two lovers realize their love for each other. And there’s a most amazing ‘big reveal’ at the end that will make you swoon for the lovers. I have to admit, I had a very big smile on my face after watching the film. Call me foolish, call me stupid, but this film warmed my heart. Put down your guard and enjoy it for yourself.