Sort By: By Genre  |  By Rating  |  By Year

America's Sweethearts

Starring: Julia Roberts, John Cusack
Director: Joe Roth
Genre: Comedy
Year: 2001
Rating: 3 / 5

Toss Julia Roberts, John Cusack, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Billy Crystal together in one movie and it is bound to be a success, right? One would like to think so. Yet while America's Sweethearts is a frequently humorous film, it falls short of being a success, largely due to a romance that fails to deliver. Producer Joe Roth, looking for his first hit from the director's chair, allows his actors, especially Billy Crystal, their funny moments, but the tugs on the heartstrings are simply not believable, forcing the film to wallow in mere mediocrity. Nevertheless, with easy-on-the-eyes stars and some generally likeable personalities, the film is still an enjoyable diversion, even with the knowledge that it could have been much more.

Eddie Thomas (John Cusack) and Gwen Harrison (Catherine Zeta-Jones) are America's sweethearts - everyone's favorite Hollywood couple, responsible for some of the industry's biggest romantic hits. The only problem is that Eddie and Gwen are separated, much to the dismay of their adoring public. Gwen is shacking up with the iron-pumping Hector (Hank Azaria), while the crestfallen Eddie is drowning in a therapeutic clinic. Alas, it is time for their latest movie to open, and the studio, yearning for a hit, needs the two stars to make peace in order to promote the film. The couple does not need to get back together, but if the press thinks it might be possible, imagine the first weekend grosses...

While Gwen has clearly moved on with her life - despite multiple movie flops - Eddie is still dreaming of a future reconciliation. Eddie is not the only one with unrequited love, as Gwen's sister / assistant Kiki (Julia Roberts) knows a thing or two about this as well. For years, Kiki has had a crush on Eddie, only to watch him pine hopelessly for her more glamorous, albeit arrogant, sister. Caught in the middle of all of this is Lee (Billy Crystal), the man charged with organizing the promotional press junket. He must spin every interaction to the studio's advantage, all the while soothing the wounded hearts of his key players. The opening is just around the corner, and it will take a miracle for things to get off without a hitch!

Julia Roberts is as charming as ever, although she sacrifices a lot of her natural beauty in order to portray the frumpy sidekick sister. John Cusack, who never seems to stray far from his trademark "lovable loser" role, manages the cute factor well, but it is not easy to root for the pathetic Eddie. Catherine Zeta-Jones is probably the most comfortable in her role, getting to indulge her inner diva as the over-the-top Gwen. While the actors are all charming, their characters are less so. It is difficult enough understanding Eddie's love for Gwen, but it is next to impossible to believe the circumstances which lead to tension between Eddie and Kiki. Director Joe Roth asks his audience to put too much faith in him, all for the sake of laughter. With a little more realism and a little less effort, America's Sweethearts might have been the winner Roth hoped it would be.

Cast:

Certification: Rated PG-13.
Running Time: 105 minutes.

Additional Info: Internet Movie Database
Comments: Send E-mail