She's the One (1996) * * *

Directed by:  Edward Burns

Starring:  Edward Burns, Mike McGlone, Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Aniston, John Mahoney, Frank Vincent, Leslie Mann

She's The One is Edward Burns' follow-up to 1995's The Brothers McMullen, itself a charming comedy about a conflicted Irish-American Long Island family.    She's The One isn't a sequel, but it covers a lot of the same ground, and like Burns' debut film it is intelligently written and contains warmly observed humor.   This film's working title was "The Fighting Fitzpatricks" and that is an apt description of two brothers, Mickey (Burns), a cab driver and Francis (McGlone), a rich Wall Street hotshot, who don't have a lot in common except that they both slept with the same woman.   

The woman is Heather (Diaz), who was once engaged to Mickey, but is now having an affair with the married Francis, who hasn't had sex with his wife Renee (Aniston) since the affair started.    Francis' father (Mahoney) sums up the situation:  "Let me get this straight...you don't want to cheat on your girlfriend with your wife?"    Mr. Fitzpatrick's wife is never seen in the film, which is just as well since he doesn't regard her as much more than a servant.   ("If she keeps leaving the house, I'm going to have to make my own breakfast,").    Despite his sexist, antiquated views on marriage and the opposite sex and his belief that any dispute can be settled with a boxing match in the backyard, Mahoney instills Mr. Fitzpatrick with a certain likability.    We've all met this guy before and while we shake our heads at some of the things he says, his honesty and love for his sons is endearing.

Mickey's romantic fortunes take a turn for the better when he picks up Hope (Bahns) in his cab and drives her to New Orleans for a wedding.   They marry on the spot instead and this causes friction between he and Francis, who wanted to be the best man.    Further issues develop when Hope informs Mickey that she is going to move to Paris to further her education.   Mickey isn't keen on moving to Paris, but he doesn't want to part from Hope.    Heather also manages to work her way back into Mickey's life, and not necessarily via Francis.    We know as night follows day that soon Mickey, Heather, and Francis will all learn about what's going on and it will cause a strain, albeit not a permanent one, between Mickey and Francis.    We get the feeling Heather, who "works on Wall Street" although surely not in the same fashion as Francis, will land on her feet.    Diaz brings cool street smarts to the role and is far less clueless and far more practical about love than either Mickey or Francis.  

Burns' films remind me of a sharper edged Woody Allen, minus the neuroses but including the religious angst.    Burns knows how to keep us interested and care.    Burns, as an actor in his own films and in other movies, has an unforced, edgy presence which serves him well.    He is a nice guy, but don't push him too far.     He generally makes movies which, after all of the fighting, insecurity, and conflict, still manage to fall into a happy ending, even if it isn't exactly what they deserve.