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America's Sweethearts (2001) More at IMDbPro »

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341 comments in total

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22 out of 25 people found the following comment useful :-
Funny, likable, lightweight comedy, 26 December 2001

Author: mattymatt4ever from Jersey City, NJ

This is not a biting Hollywood satire, and I'm sure there were some missed opportunities to poke fun at the biz. But as long as that's not what you're expecting, you should have lots of fun.

I'm an avid Billy Crystal fan, and though he's not the star of the film, I was really looking forward to this movie--being that he also co-wrote the script. There are some trademark zingers you'd anticipate from the Oscar's favorite MC: "Sixty pounds? That's a Backstreet Boy."

The cast is superb. Hank Azaria, like always, steals the show. He is absolutely hilarious as Catherine Zeta-Jones' new Spanish lover. There is a great scene near the end where he gets outraged at a rumor of his inadequate "size." Just like his role as the flamboyant butler in "The Birdcage" he brings out tons of laughs, taking on a phony accent. He really is a man of extraordinary talent. John Cusack shows us his more...goofy side. I've always enjoyed him in past movies, but he usually plays the straight man. This was something different. Well, I guess you can say he plays the straight man, but he stumbles into all sorts of slapstick situations that causes him to overreact in comic fashions. And he's great at it! Julia Roberts is...well...Julia Roberts. I have nothing against Julia, but I don't patronize her in the same way others do. I don't think she's the most beautiful woman and I don't think she's the most brilliant actress. But I'm sure many were looking forward to this movie because of Julia, and if you're one of those people, you won't be disappointed. Catherine Zeta-Jones is extremely beautiful, but she is so great as the whiny, bitchy ex-wife of Cusack/spoiled actress that I wanted to stab her every moment she was on screen. Alan Arkin is funny as the pretentious, preposterous spiritual healer. There is a great deleted scene with him and Cusack over the phone, while Arkin rides the streets of Vegas in a pink convertible. Those renting the DVD--don't skip the deleted scenes! And last but not least, Christopher Walken (Da Man!) has a brief but memorable appearance as reclusive director Hal Wideman.

Don't expect any surprises. The story's as predictable as can be. The whole movie is superficial fluff. But it's enjoyable superficial fluff. If you just want to kick back, have some good laughs, without having to kill any brain cells--curl up on the couch with your man or woman and watch "America's Sweethearts."

My score: 7 (out of 10)

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19 out of 25 people found the following comment useful :-
An entertaining look behind the scenes of the movie star romances., 4 August 2001

Author: Michael DeZubiria (miked32@hotmail.com) from Luoyang, China

Normally, who is married to/engaged to/dating who in the movie world is something that I couldn't possibly care less about, and I still don't care, but America's Sweethearts manages to make that very subject amusing and entertaining. John Cusack and Catherine Zeta-Jones play Eddie Thomas and Gwen Harrison, two movie stars who have been tremendously successful working together and who have worked their way into the heart of the American public. The conflict comes from their highly publicized breakup, which has resulted in two consecutive box office failures for Gwen and some serious psychological problems for Eddie.

Stanley Tucci takes on a small but very effective role as Dave Kingman, the short tempered studio executive, furious with Christopher Walken's much more entertaining Hal Weidmann, the introverted filmmaker who sent Kingman the first print of his film (after charging $86 million of the studio's money), which consisted of nothing but titles and the hilarious message, `We could also do these in blue.' Kingman throws a predictable but very funny tantrum. We spend the rest of the film wondering why Weidmann is so cocky toward Kingman and so close-mouthed about the film, but we are rewarded in the final act.

Julia Roberts comes back in an ironic role when compared to her recent (and far superior) role in Notting Hill, in which she was America's Sweetheart who had fallen in love with a regular guy. Here, she is the constantly unnoticed sister of Gwen Harrison, her big movie star sister. Both women are perfectly cast as the famous movie star and the famous movie star's sister, but this is more a testament to their abilities as actors than it is to the ingenuity of the casting director. The acting was just excellent. Hank Azaria plays the part of Hector (`This is bull-chit!'), the over-the-top Spanish guy with the hilarious lisp that Gwen has been seeing ever since her rough break up with Eddie. Hector is an amusing character, but it is obvious from the first scene where we see him (in which he insists that he and Gwen will `go to the ‘hunket' together.') that he is an expendable character. He's funny, but he still badly mangled the Spanish accent as well as the lisp, coming off as amusing but impossible to take seriously.

The entire romantic subplot of the film was predictable from the very beginning, if only because it was given away in its entirety in the theatrical trailer. If you have ever heard of this movie before watching it, then you've already seen the emotional scene where Kiki (Roberts) tells Eddie that that woman that he saw standing by the spa that he had to spend the rest of his life with was her, and not her sister Gwen. From that perspective, America's Sweethearts is one of those movies where if you've seen the preview, you've seen the movie (take Pleasantville as another example).

Christopher Walken provides an excellent source of comic relief as well as one of the only really interesting characters in the film. He is the nutty filmmaker (indeed, the best films almost unwaveringly come from the people who are a little ‘off') who edits his films in the Unabomber's cabin, which he had moved onto his property, and who indeed created a truly memorable film, of which we unfortunately are only able to see a small portion. `The Blair Bitch Project,' as the press later calls it, is a kind of film that would be really interesting. The tabloids would have a field day.

There are a lot of sight gags and low brow humor in America's Sweethearts, and it is reported to bear a striking resemblance to Singin' In The Rain (although remains far inferior to that classic musical comedy), but it manages to keep the audience entertained if not hanging on every word. True film fanatics are sure to pick it apart for nearly feeding off of classic films and for following such a clear-cut formula, but there is definitely something to be enjoyed here.

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful :-
Doesn't Take Off, 5 March 2002
Author: Early Autumn from Salzburg, Austria

This movie resembles an aeroplane that's exquisitely designed and constructed, with attractive extras and all. The assembled audience at the runway may give some Oohs and Aahs, clap their hands, the plane is rolling impressively, but ... it doesn't take off. For several moments there are lift ups, even both wheels in the air, but it just doesn't take off.

Hardcore aviation fans will enjoy the very sight of a machine built of first-rate material, but for the general public an aeroplane that's just rolling around and not flying will be a disappointment.

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19 out of 33 people found the following comment useful :-
Ultra light summer movie, 21 July 2001

Author: tprofumo from Los Angeles

And I mean ultra light. This film features four giant stars, about three and a half jokes and nothing beyond that.

There really isn't too much to say about this stinker, other than that although it has a couple of really good bits, most of it isn't very funny. Nor does it work at all as a romance. How about as a romantic comedy? Not on your life. Most of the dialogue is way too flat to be sophisticated, much less amusing.

What's really ashame is the premise is not bad at all. This movie could have been so much more, especially with all the recent focus on some of the bogus ways in which films are promoted, complete with phony quotes from critics. The film uncovers the un-mined territory of the press junket -- those all expense paid trips for journalists who almost always write nice reviews. But instead of exploring what should have been a motherlode of jokes, it devotes all of about three minutes to this territory and moves on in pursuit of the film's lame romance.

The same with Catherine Zeta-Jones' character -- the whinny, self centered movie star. Zeta-Jones does a good job with what she's given, but she's given practically nothing. It's all homogenized junk that looks very pale in comparison with some of the things we've heard about stars over the years.

In the end, it is hard to understand what made Zeta-Jones, Julia Roberts, John Cusack and Billy Crystal sign aboard this doomed ship, which sinks like a rerun of "The Love Boat." In fact, as the old joke goes, they should have forgotten the script and filmed the deal. It would probably make a better story. So, go ahead and tell us, filmmakers, what do you have on these stars that got them to appear in this?

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5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
A good Fun Movie, 23 December 2006

Author: mjw2305 from England

Gwen (Catherine Zeta Jones) and Eddie (John Cusack) are America's favourite sweetheart couple, but since breaking up Eddie has had a breakdown and Gwen's career is floundering. Their latest movie is shortly due for release and their press agent Lee (Billy Crystal) with the help of Gwen's sister Kiki (Julie Roberts) have to get them back together and promote the movie.

Written and produced by Billy Crystal 'America's Sweethearts' is a good giggle, and has some fine performances from Cusack, Crystal, Roberts and Jones (Although Catherine Zeta Jones's performance as a press hungry b*tch, is maybe a little too believable). For me though the ending makes the movie, its not entirely what your expecting and Christopher Walken, helps to bring the closing scenes to life, with his patented brand of acting genius.

Worth a watch 7/10

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5 out of 6 people found the following comment useful :-
Romance in Sweethearts Wins Out..., 6 August 2001

Author: jon.h.ochiai (jochiai@socal.rr.com) from Los Angeles, CA

Joe Roth's "America's Sweethearts" starts off as an edgy dark comedy about the movie promotion business, then veers off into a conventional romantic comedy which better serves the talents of John Cusack, Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones. This tangential storyline was written by Billy Crystal (also one the stars) and Lee Philips. The premise is very promising. America's Movie Sweethearts, Eddie Thomas (Cusack) and Gwen Harrison (Catherine Zeta-Jones), are no longer-- they are getting a divorce.

In fact Gwen has a restraining order on Eddie following their dramatic break-up. Gwen is shacked up with a Spaniard dancer, Hector (an embarrassing loser role played by Hank Azaria). Eddie now resides in a spiritual retreat following his meltdown. However, Eddie and Gwen made one last movie with eccentric genius, reclusive director Hal Weidmann (perfectly played by Christopher Walken). No one has seen the film which looks to be a rip-off of Jean-Claude Van Damme's "Time Cop". Weidmann professes this unseen movie is his greatest work. Studio Exec., Dave Kingman (Stanley Tucci), convinces promotions expert, Lee Philips (Crystal) whom he fired, to stay on and orchestrate the press junket for the movie. To bring the estranged Eddie and Gwen together, Lee enlists the aid of Kiki Harrison (Roberts) who is not only Gwen's "doormat" sister, but also her personal assistant. We soon learn that big hearted Kiki has always loved Eddie.

The movie industry inside jokes and details surrounding press junkets are great in the beginning of the movie. Though this wastes time in what is predictably a romance. Tucci's ruthless and humorless exec. is way too dark a character for this movie. Hector (Azaria) is a total waste of time here. For the amount of talent involved in this project it is amazing how much useless overhead is in the movie. Don't get me wrong here entirely-- I did enjoy the movie. What saves the movie are the wonderful talents of John Cusack and his natural chemistry with Julia Roberts. Zeta-Jones is believable as the self-absorbed ice bitch, Gwen-- let's hope that she does not make a habit of these kinds of roles. Julia Roberts is not stretching here as the good hearted, smart, and plain sister of movie star, Gwen. Though Roberts unquestionably has the movie star quality-- she enchants on screen. Cusack is the quirky romantic leading man of the Milennium, and plays Eddie with a bewilderment and smarts. You always get a sense of what's swirling in Cusack's Eddie's head. He is aware of his emotional instability, while promoting a movie he has never seen, with a woman he is no longer with. And the woman of his life is right in front of his face-- Kiki. Duh! Cusack is totally charming in his journey from cluelessness. Ultimately, he and Roberts make Sweethearts worth watching-- which is saying quite a lot.

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12 out of 21 people found the following comment useful :-
Billy Crystal was good, Julia Roberts usually was ..., 1 June 2004
Author: vchimpanzee from North Carolina

... but there were parts of this movie I didn't like. I liked it when it was funny, but a lot of the relationship stuff didn't appeal to me. The opening of the new film by Eddie Thomas and Gwen Harrison was great. Well, the reaction to it, anyway. I liked the attempts by Crystal's character to get these two bickering movie stars together, and the various problems that made that more difficult. I'm glad this was sanitized for network TV.

Julia Roberts did a good job as a plus-size woman, though her transformation was nothing short of a miracle, considering the time frame. For a change, she wasn't a beauty--at least not at first and certainly not in flashbacks to her chubby days. I liked most of her performance, but there were times when it's a good thing it was her, or the movie would have been in trouble.

I wish I had known it was Hank Azaria playing Gwen's conceited and bumbling boyfriend. He was pretty good.

Regardless of its faults, the surprise ending redeemed this movie. The two movie stars gave such laughably terrible performances in clips of their past work, and their next film promised more of the same ... but I won't say what the result was. Just know that it was not what one might expect.

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3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
A giant waste of talent., 18 May 2008

Author: drew23 (Shelman23@gmail.com) from S. Lake Tahoe, CA

How this film was made with so many big stars is beyond me. This is a terrible cliché' ridden film with the worst acting any of these actors have ever done. It really surprises me that so many of these A list stars would agree to this unfunny film. What's even worse is the fact that is made almost 100 million here in the states. It does go to show however that big stars can pull in the bucks, even if the film is terrible. I felt sorry for everyone involved in this snore-fest. Billy Crystal tried his best with the what he was given and the rest of the stars seemed to be walking through the motions. Whatever you do, don't fall for the excellent cast because no one could have saved this.

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3 out of 4 people found the following comment useful :-
America's Sweetmeats, 27 May 2006

Author: spolky from United Kingdom

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Let me put it another way: balls. Or, how about bollo*ks. This is truly awful, more embarrassing than those it attempts to satirise. Julia Roberts is a skilled actress, and usually her work is of the highest standard. This movie is so lacking in direction even she struggles to look proficient. Normally she is the consummate professional, yet I swear that in her eyes, there were signs of bewilderment and despair.

The one thing that might have rescued this move was the idea about the director (Chris Walken) turning the movie into a secret documentary about the actors. Unfortunately, that theme wasn't explored to it's full potential. Too little, too late.

Zeta Jones was wooden, Cusack was Cusack, and Crystal should stick to acting. The two talented ex-Buffy stars had different experiences - Green hopelessly mis-cast, and Balfour under-used. Well done to Julia for just about preventing this from being the worst movie ever made.

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1 out of 1 people found the following comment useful :-
Really interesting., 22 March 2002

Author: dephilron from Norrland

This is a really great movie. It´s this kind of movie that´s make you really happy. One of Julia Roberts best movies ever. Julia Roberts is just getting better. It´s chocking, it´s funny, it contains love, it´s a great movie!

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