Terrifically funny romantic comedy, is a slam-dunk for Julia Roberts, the Michael Jordan of cuteness.
63
Miami HeraldRene Rodriguez
Miami HeraldRene Rodriguez
For the farce it so desperately wants to be, the film often feels slack and too reliant on so-so punch lines for laughs.
63
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
Chicago TribuneMichael Wilmington
All these good actors and all Crystal's sass and witty candor can't bring back the heyday of Billy Wilder and Preston Sturges. Or even, most of the time, their off-days.
63
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
Christopher Walken has the best moments in the whole thing, portraying the wacked-out auteur of the Gwen-and-Eddie vehicle. Sadly, he's only in America's Sweethearts a few hilarious minutes.
58
Portland Oregonian
Portland Oregonian
Surprise! Crystal has given himself most of the best lines, though he also allows a Doberman to have its way with him.
Chockablock with things we're not supposed to notice: that Roberts is wasted; that she and Cusack have no characters to play, so it's virtually impossible to understand why she loves him or vice versa; that the script provides comedy without bite and romance without resonance.
25
San Francisco ChronicleEdward Guthmann
San Francisco ChronicleEdward Guthmann
This is the downside of Roberts' giant success and her dazzling ability to charm: Every time she goes plain, as she did in the little-seen "Mary Reilly" and "Michael Collins," our princess simply fizzles.
25
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
Falls flat on screen, weighed down by far-fetched plot twists.
20
L.A. WeeklyManohla Dargis
L.A. WeeklyManohla Dargis
The film isn't just banal, it's aggressively, arrogantly banal.