had the right ingredients but never brought them together

This film could be used in film courses. The right ingredients are there - narrative, actors - but it's less than the sum of it's parts. The screenplay is just not snappy enough (a few good lines from the dentist) and the direction is patchy. It just doesn't gel. It's a pity because it could have worked in the same genre as Notting Hill, Love Actually etc does except that it falls flat too many times and the pace is just off.