3328. Say It Isn’t So (2001)

Starring: Heather Graham, Chris Klein, Sally Field

Director: J.B. Klein

Running Time: 95 mins

Say It Isn’t So is an American film about a man who finds the perfect woman, only to discover that she is his sister. A year later, however, he learns that she really isn’t his sibling, and so must find a way to tell her before she marries the wrong man.

As far as rom-coms go, this is certainly one of the stranger ones. Aside from a surprisingly likable couple in Chris Klein and Heather Graham, Say It Isn’t So delivers a blend of genuinely entertaining and often bemusing romantic comedy from start to finish.

Let’s start with the fact that, for the most part, Say It Isn’t So is a pretty fun film. It’s not hilarious, laugh-out-loud funny, but the movie is a light-hearted and above all deliberately silly affair, and far from the cheesy rom-coms you might be used to.

As I mentioned, one of the most enjoyable parts of the movie is the lead relationship between Chris Klein and Heather Graham, who, despite their characters’ unexpected relations, are really fun to watch together throughout.

Klein is as likable as always, and so is Graham, although they’re separated through the film by a handful of slightly (and deliberately) more unlikable characters, particularly those played by Sally Field and Eddie Cibrian.

Fortunately, the film’s main focus is delivering laughs over emotionally resonant romance, although the majority of the movie is distinctively odd in the way it tells what is more often than not a very generic story.

Again, the movie’s fun-loving sensibilities make its weirder tendencies good value for entertainment, particularly as you get caught in the awkward moment where you still slightly root for a romance even when the lead pair have been revealed to be brother and sister.

In short, Say It Isn’t So, as odd as it gets at times, is a really rather enjoyable film. It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s by no means the generic romantic comedy that you might expect, rather using its strangest sensibilities to its advantage throughout. So, that’s why I’m giving it a 7.0 overall.