In “P.S. I Love You” Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler play a young couple in love living in Manhattan. She’s a junior agent in real estate (but unhappy). He runs a car service, but dreams of bigger things.

Much is made of the fact that they live in a small apartment. She complains of the 5th floor walk up, using it as an excuse for not having a child -- as she doesn’t want to ‘change diapers on the window sill.’ Have the set designer and director ever been to Manhattan? Did they look at 5th floor walk up apartments on the Lower East Side?

Holly and Gerry’s apartment is “movie shabby.” That means, for most of us living in Manhattan it would be a steal. I studied it as I watched the film (not a good sign as my mind was obviously wandering) it was distracting in its luxurious décor. It seemed to have a foyer, a kitchen, a living room, a bedroom, a dressing room and some sort of office space. Everything was decorated in expensive looking stuff, the set was over designed. The bed itself looked like it was on the floor of a Ralph Lauren store, with about $2000 worth of throw pillows and quilts.

It totally took me out of the story. How could they afford such a place? Why was she complaining about a ‘tiny apartment?’ How had the set designer come up with this set? Didn’t he/she read the script? Why didn’t the director insist on a more realistic home for our young lovers?

When such questions are pestering me during a film, it only means one thing, that I am not engrossed in the story. And sad to say, this was true. The bedding was more intriguing than the plot!