It is rare that a movie can bring me to tears (unless you are talking about the painful tears shed while watching an incredibly horrible film), but P.S. I Love You did just that. You might think this normal for a film that was seemingly designed to elicit exactly this sort of reaction. When I picked up the movie I already knew what I was getting into: A story about a widow dealing with the loss of her true love. Holly Kennedy (Hilary Swank) learns to cope with the loss of her husband Gerry (Gerard Butler) over the course of a year while she is receiving letters and directions that he planned before his death. Each letter pulls even more on both Holly's and our own emotional heart-strings.
Where this tear-jerker gets it right is by tricking you into believing you know exactly where the film is headed, when in fact it surprises you at every turn. Although the formula is familiar, the movie is fresh enough to pull you in and challenge your emotional readiness. You may think you know what you are getting into, and believe that the film won't get you, but keep the tissues close by, just in case.