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I dig me some Irish lads. There’s something about the lot of them that is charming – their sly, witty demeanor, handsome ruffian ways. . . Irish men are about as good as it gets. And for the first chunk of P.S. I Love You, I was in Lucky Charms heaven as Gerard Butler swaggered, drawled and did all manner of hot things that reaffirmed my love for Irish lads. As the opening credits rolled, I was certain that this movie was going to hit my chick flick g spot in a big bad way. Then he died. That’s right, died. Gerard Butler, Phantom of the Opera, Leonidas, DIED.

P.S. I Love You is the story of newly widowed Holly, fighting to be okay in the wake of Gerry’s (Gerard Butler) early and tragic death due to a brain tumor. Lucky for Holly, Gerry planned for these moments, leaving her a series of letters to be delivered intermittently in the year after his passing. Every letter comes with a surprise, and as the film takes us through a year of Holly’s grief, it also tells a beautiful love story, destined to end badly and yet surprisingly uplifting.

The list of well known actors in P.S. I Love You is a long one. Kathy Bates, a chameleon of the film world, is, as usual, amazing in her portrayal of Holly’s mother, Patricia. For Buffy fans, a brunette and American accented James Marsters is one of the many lovely men who provide for excellent eye candy after Gerry dies. Jeffrey Dean Morgan (the brilliantly handsome Denny of Grey’s Anatomy) and Harry Connick Jr also stand by, ready to help a widow find her way (lucky tart). Lisa Kudrow and Gina Gershon are Holly’s friends on tap, ready to adventure.

And then there’s Hillary Swank herself. Swank is the centerpiece of the film, the too young to get married, too young to be a widow heroine. Swank’s talent, in my opinion, lies with drama; she isn’t terrible in the movie, but isn’t quite likable, either. She often comes off as shrewish instead of wacky, bitchy instead of lovable. Her haircut, with its straight, harsh lines, accentuates the mannishness of her features, and her clothing doesn’t do anything to help us buy her as the beautiful woman who gets all the guys in the room. Her face is often frozen in a slack-mouthed look of confusion.

The movie has several funny bits, despite the fact that most of the humor does not come from Swank. Gerard Butler is hard not to love, and Harry Connick Jr.’s character, Daniel, has a wonderful run of socially awkward lined that make him a bright spot in the film. The movie did have that annoying New York cliché of having characters complain about their tiny crap apartments that are anything but. Overall, the film is likable and funny.

The DVD has a good few bonus features, including deleted scenes, featurettes with Celia Ahern (the author of the novel P.S. I Love You), a James Blunt video with footage from the movie, and lastly, my favorite, a featurette entitled “The Name of the Game is Snaps”. During a scene in a gay bar, Holly and friends are introduced to a game called snaps. The scene is funny, but ultimately will leave you confused as to exactly what the characters are doing. Never fear – in this kitschy little feature, you’ll be introduced to the rules of the game, and if you’re anything like me, you’ll immediately run to the next room to share with someone else and get playing.

P.S. I Love You has some highs and lows. There are sad scenes and funny scenes, and in the end, Holly chooses the romantic path that just feels right. Overall a good film, and the bonuses make it worth the purchase.

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