When in Rome

Despite the surfeit of cliches and apparent lack of any original thought in this hopelessly contrived rom-com, it remains a reasonably amiable exercise in generic mirth thanks principally to a likable cast.

As evidenced in the beloved, cancelled TV show Veronica Mars, lead Kristen Bell (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) can display acting depth when necessary. The script for When In Rome makes no such demands on Bell, but she ably carries the film on her shoulders, projecting plenty of charm with only a small hint that she’s been genetically bred for films like these.

Handsome blockhead Josh Duhamel exhibits more personality here than as an action hero in the Transformers movies, but his shtick too often relies on him bumping into things.

Of the ‘whacky suitors’, Dax Shepard (er, Without A Paddle) gets the most laughs as an egotistically deluded male model, while Arrested Development’s Will Arnett pulls of a funny accent as an Italian artist. As a street magician, Jon Heder shows that he needs to stop relying upon Napoleon Dynamite-isms if he’s gonna sustain an acting career.

When In Rome marks a significant change of tack for director Mark Steven Johnson, who most recently helmed a couple of crappy superhero adaptations (Daredevil, Ghost Rider). He’s able to sustain a pleasantly whimsical tone for the most part, but the film crumbles under any sort of serious scrutiny.