Can a handful of stolen fountain coins really force someone to fall in love?
In short: In the 2010 romantic comedy When in Rome, an art curator impulsively pilfers coins from a magical fountain. She soon finds herself pursued by a bizarre band of enchanted suitors. As she struggles to break the spell, she must determine if her growing feelings for a new flame are genuine or manufactured.
Directed by Mark Steven Johnson, the 2010 film When in Rome follows Beth, a cynical Guggenheim curator played by Kristen Bell. While attending her sister’s wedding in Italy, Beth impulsively removes coins from a fountain modeled after the Trevi Fountain. According to local legend, taking these coins compels their original owners to fall in love with the thief. Upon returning to New York City, Beth is besieged by a group of eccentric men—a sausage magnate, a street illusionist, a painter, and a male model—all desperate for her affection.
The plot serves as a thematic reversal of the 1954 film Three Coins in the Fountain, which centered on women throwing coins to find love. In this version, the protagonist must return the items to their owners to undo the magical influence. The film features a comedic sequence where Beth, aided by her suitors, drives a yellow Vespa 400 through city traffic and into the Guggenheim Museum to resolve the chaos. The interaction between Beth and her suitors during the return of the coins also includes a parody of The Wizard of Oz, specifically referencing Dorothy’s farewell to the Scarecrow.
Despite the star power of Bell and Josh Duhamel, who plays the best man Nick Beamon, the film was poorly received by critics. Aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that only 17% of reviews were positive, with an average score of 3.41/10. Metacritic assigned a score of 25%, indicating generally unfavorable reception. Critics noted a reliance on tired romantic comedy clichés and unfunny gags, though some reviewers, such as James Berardinelli, suggested the leads' charm provided a necessary saving grace for an otherwise generic production.
Commercially, the film opened at number three in the United States and Canada on January 29, 2010, earning over $12.3 million in its opening weekend. It ultimately grossed approximately $43 million worldwide against a production budget of $28 million. The film was later released on home media in June 2010, leaving behind a legacy defined more by its unusual premise and critical struggle than by box office dominance.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: When in Rome (2010 film)
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