This film has all the elements a good romantic comedy – at times it makes you laugh out loud and then the next scene has you welling up with tears.

Oscar winning Hillary Swank is almost lost in the role of Holly Kennedy, a smart, sassy woman married to the love her life Gerry (Gerard Butler), but still gives a convincing and emotional performance. The story is about grief and Holly’s life after the unexpected death of her young husband.

Gerry dies within minutes of the opening from a mysterious illness. His death is paramount to the film yet we are left feeling his illness has escaped the notice of any character. Before Gerry dies he writes Holly 10 messages intended to help ease her pain and start a new life – all ending with ‘P.S I love you.’

The film begins with the couple arguing about everyday, non-descript issues in their small apartment but try and ignore Gerry’s ‘Irish charms’ – excruciatingly awkward most of the time. It is evident through these opening scenes that they love each other dearly, emphasised with the moving scene of Gerry’s wake that follows. From this point on, the films grows into a poignant story of a widow so young when the love of her life was taken away from her without warning.

Once the formalities of the funeral are over, Holly is faced with her new life, alone. Gerry is not confined to a voice-over and the chemistry between Swank and Butler is heartfelt and quietly endearing.

Lisa Kudrow is fantastic as Holly’s friend Denise with witty humour that lifts the film and leaves ‘Phoebe’ the character that made famous, firmly behind her. Together with Gina Gershon as Sharon and Gerry’s letters, they take on the task of making Holly get her life back on track in a typical female-best- friend supporting role.

The supporting cast of characters continue to be central – from Harry Connick Jr's bartender, who works in her mother's (Kathy Bates) bar, to Gerry's childhood friend William (Dean Morgan), who she bumps into on her Irish jaunt and stops the film from becoming a depressing 2 hours.