A Valentine movie for the whole family

MANILA, Philippines - This Valentine, think pink. Or to be more precise, think The Pink Panther 2.

“People love Inspector Clouseau,” director Harald Zwart says of the bumbling French detective who has endeared himself to worldwide audiences. “He has a huge heart, and though he makes a lot of mistakes, it all comes from naive clumsiness. He’s always trying his best. It’s just that his best is never good.”

In the wholesome comedy, when legendary treasures from around the world are stolen, including the priceless Pink Panther Diamond, Chief Inspector Dreyfus (John Cleese) is forced to assign Inspector Clouseau (Steve Martin) to a team of international detectives and experts charged with catching the thief and retrieving the stolen artifacts.

Martin is joined by Jean Reno (as Ponton, his partner) and Emily Mortimer (as Nicole, the object of his awkward affections). The investigative dream team is played by Andy Garcia, Alfred Molina, Yuki Matsuzaki (Letters from Iwo Jima) and Bollywood superstar Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

Co-star Emily Mortimer says that The Pink Panther 2 fit in perfectly with the rest of the franchise. “This character that resonated in the ‘60s still has an appeal now. There’s something about this complete nincompoop who manages to save the day that people find appealing.”

The appeal extends to families as evidenced by the endorsement of Janet Stokes of America’s Film Advisory Board. She recommends, “This mega witty sequel is top notch family fun! Families will get a kick out of this hi-spirited comedy. The bumbling fumbling Inspector Clouseau is hilarious. A terrific comedy for all reasons. Delightfully funny!”

Jeffrey Lyons of NBC’s Reel Talk also raves, “Surprise! Surprise! It’s better than his first one! Steve Martin has picked up the trenchcoat from Peter Sellers and made one of the better sequels you’ll see. Some scenes are Chaplainesque.”

For his part, Paul Fischer of the hugely popular Dark Horizons website describes The Pink Panther 2 as “a comic gem.” Fischer writes, “The film is not just a laugh-out-loud comedy, but a brilliantly inventive comic gem that once again proves that Steve Martin is one of the true comic geniuses of his generation. Hilarious, witty, classically old-fashioned, and backed by that exquisite Henry Mancini score, this Panther is a total joy and is irresistible, wonderful entertainment.”

The Pink Panther 2 is now showing in theaters.