entertainment
February 24, 2026
Down with Love: Ewan McGregor and Renée Zellweger’s perfectly offbeat 60s fantasy
This 2003 romcom seemed destined to be a hit. But it was too camp, too synthetic, too satirical: the exact qualities that make it a cult favourite today
TL;DR
- Down with Love, a 2003 romcom starring Renée Zellweger and Ewan McGregor, failed at the box office due to its camp and artifice.
- The film follows feminist author Barbara Novak's manifesto against romance and her eventual love affair with journalist Catcher Block.
- It subversively critiques 1960s gender roles, supports feminist values, and includes a queer thread sympathetic to hidden queer individuals.
- Visually, the movie mimics early Hollywood with rear projection, painted skylines, and studio sets, creating a dream-like atmosphere and showcasing 60s fashion.
- Retrospectively, its themes of sexuality and gender remain relevant, contrasting with contemporary trends that might revert to mid-century conservatism.
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