Review of America's Sweethearts (2001) by Paul C — 26 Nov 2009

I really enjoy romantic comedies as long as they have the right leading actors and actresses. Since rom coms tend to be cliché and generic, you need the right star power to bring the characters alive and make the old jokes funny again.

Most importantly the two leads who fall in love at the end should be people you want to see fall in love. Americaâ??s Sweethearts succeeded cause of the amazing ensemble talent they had. There were the attractive leads (John Cusask, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Julia Roberts) and the funny comic relief (Billy Crystal, Hank Azaria, Seth Green, Stanley Tucci).

The movieâ??s gimmick was also fresh as a romantic comedy satirizing other romantic comedies as well as the movie biz itself. The movie has flaws such as if Gwen Harrison, played by Catherine Zeta-Jones, is such a needy bitch, why was Eddie married to her so long? How could anyone stand her? Also the ending wraps itself up a little too perfectly and leaves itself with nowhere to go except end with a cheap laugh.

The script felt a little sloppy, like some of it was written on the car ride to the studio. But it had the star power to make it fun which is what makes you see a movie like this in the first place. You get what you paid for.