“My One and Only”

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:21:00 +0000

Richard Loncraine's "My One and Only" is a Hollywood-style reimagining of the teenage years of Hollywood-style actor George Hamilton, a performer who may be known more for his ultra-debonair image (and his ultra-tan skin) than for his film roles. But that's part of the point: "My One and Only" is an affectionate picture, set in the early 1950s, that coasts breezily on its charm and style, much the way one of its central (nonhuman) characters, a powder-blue 1953 Cadillac Coupe de Ville convertible, rolls along city streets and winding highways alike. Hamilton may never have been a huge star, but he's often been extremely enjoyable to watch, partly because, in pictures like "Love at First Bite," he has resolutely refused to take himself too seriously. As Hamilton has figured out, great style can be its own reward, and "My One and Only" takes its cue from that idea. The picture has the light, lilting quality of a Benny Goodman solo. Sweet, modest and quietly classy, it's the perfect late-summer entertainment -- and it also happens to feature the most relaxed and nuanced performance Renée Zellweger has given in years.

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“My One and Only”