It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

This movie feels like it was made purely to piss off people who want good shows

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

The opening scene alone is worth renting this movie for. That's all I'll say about that. I love movies where a standard formula is put in TILT mode, and America's Sweethearts is off-center enough to make it more than a standard "chick flick." The story starts with Lee Phillips, who has just been fired as the publicist for Kingman studios. The breakup of Eddie Thomas and Gwen Harrison, a movie star married couple, has put a dent in the studio's revenue. As he's cleaning out his desk, the head of the studio, Dave Kingman, calls Lee down to the screening room. It seems the director of Eddie and Gwen's final picture, the eccentric (to put it politely) Hal Weidmann, is holding the movie hostage, not letting anyone see it until the upcoming press junket promoting the film. Kingman begs Lee to put together the junket, and keep the press distracted by making it appear the Eddie and Gwen are getting back together again (Lee gets his job back if he's successful). Meanwhile, Eddie is still obsessed with Gwen, even though Gwen has moved onto this Spanish boy toy named Hector. Gwen has continued to make movies on her own, unsuccessfully (as we find out in an amusing scene with her on Larry King's show). Then there's Gwen's ever-suffering but loyal sister/personal assistant Kiki, who helps Lee convince Gwen to appear at the junket.All this is the setup for the aforementioned junket, which is where most of the movie takes place. Roger Ebert, who has been to a million of these things, didn't think the movie did enough to lampoon these kinds of press events, but to the average person who isn't part of the press, it did just fine in skewering the media culture. In fact, the movie does a good job making fun of the shallowness of the industry in general. Lee pulls one publicity stunt after another, usually at the expense of Eddie and Gwen. In one telling scene, after Lee releases some embarrassing information about Eddie to the press, Danny asks him, "Don't you like Eddie?" Lee says he loves Eddie, but, "You're not here to love anybody. You're here to promote a movie." There's also the love triangle which develops between Eddie, Kiki, and Gwen. Even though Eddie's still obsessed with Gwen, he discovers he has feelings for her sister.What makes this movie really work are the performances, which are top notch all around. All the actors involved seem to be having a lot of fun with the material. Catherine Zeta-Jones always plays the shallow, cold-hearted biotch to perfection (as she also does in High Fidelity and Intolerable Cruelty), but her comic timing has never been better than here. John Cusack always does very well playing likable, off-center characters who are on the brink of insanity, and he doesn't disappoint in this movie. As Kiki, Julia Roberts shows off her comic timing as well, particularly with her facial expressions, which are subtle and effective. Stanley Tucci and Christopher Walken are both perfect in their roles as the psychotic studio chief and mad genius movie director, respectively. Ditto the brilliant Alan Arkin as the "wellness guide" at the holistic retreat where Eddie went after his breakup with Gwen and subsequent breakdown. And Billy Crystal shows once again that he's one of the finest comic actors of his generation (he also co wrote the story and screenplay). Rounding out the performances are Hank Azaria, who's a bit too over the top as "the other guy" Hector (the exaggerated lisp was a bit much), and Seth Green as Lee's eager assistant Danny.The end is somewhat predictable (boy ends up with the right girl after pining for the wrong one), but it's the clever and off-center way that the movie gets to that point (with some biting satire along the way) that makes America's Sweethearts several cuts above your basic romantic comedy. It's a chick flick that both of you can enjoy. 8.5

America's Sweethearts is a romantic comedy film starring Julia Roberts, Billy Crystal, John Cusack, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. It also stars Keri Lynn Pratt, Hank Azaria, Stanley Tucci, Seth Green, Alan Arkin, and Christopher Walken, and features a cameo appearance by Larry King as himself. It was written by Crystal and Peter Tolan; and it was directed by Joe Roth.Studio mogul Joe Roth returns to his roots as a director with this romantic comedy co-written by Billy Crystal and starring Roth's longtime friend Julia Roberts. Crystal stars as Lee, a studio publicist desperately trying to keep several facts secret from reporters during a high-profile motion picture's press junket. Among the developments that Lee is trying to obscure from view: the film's eccentric director has essentially hijacked the $87 million movie and isn't allowing anyone to view it. Also, the film's high-profile, real-life married co-stars Gwen Harrison and Eddie Thomas have acrimoniously split since filming. Lee has led the press to believe that reconciliation is imminent, when in fact Gwen hates Eddie more than ever. Lee's secret weapon in his campaign of misinformation is Gwen's long-abused sister Kiki, who works as the pampered star's personal assistant while secretly pining for Eddie, who might just notice Kiki now that she's lost 60 pounds.Lacking originality or true wit, this mildly amusing but utterly banal comedy again demonstrates that Joe Roth is not much of a director and that Billy Crystal can do only one thing as an actor and that is just be Billy Crystal.Could have been more with such a great cast, but still manages to entertain.

How do make a bad movie like this one when you have so many good actors? That's hard to explain but it happens. I suppose this film is a parody of what film industry is. The film is boring from the first minute to the last one, just saved by Christopher Walken and Hank Azaria, these two actors always save the show from disaster. Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones don't match at any time, you can't believe they're sisters, or believe that John Cusack is married to Catherine Zeta-Jones. IMPOSSIBLE. At least John Cusack and Julia Roberts have comic talent and that helps a little bit, in contrast with the total lack of comic talent from Catherine Zeta-Jones, I don't remember this actress making me laugh or at least make me smile. This actress is too serious when she's very talented. This film is a total waste of time.

I knew the four leading actors and actresses of this romantic comedy film, and that was good enough for me. Basically Gwen Harrison (Catherine Zeta-Jones) and Eddie Thomas (John Cusack) were the golden couple of Hollywood, on and off screen, but they broke up, with Gwen falling for Latin actor Hector Gorgonzolas (Hank Azaria), and Eddie having temper tantrums. It is when their new film Time Over Time is being held by its director Hal Weidmann (Christopher Walken), that PR wizard Lee Phillips (Billy Crystal, also writing), with some help from Gwen's assistant, and sister Kathleen "Kiki" Harrison (Julia Roberts), they need to get Gwen and Eddie in the same room together for a press showing that no-one will forget. Of course everything doesn't go smoothly for a little while, but the couple do reunite and try to get through it. In the end, the film Time Over Time is in fact a documentary with real love-hate material made with secret cameras, and it turns out Eddie has actually fallen for Gwen's sister Kiki, so at least it's got some sort of happy ending. Also starring Stanley Tucci as Dave Kingman, Alan Arkin as Wellness Guide, Seth Green as Danny Wax and Larry King. It is good to see satire made like a comedy, when it concerns the Hollywood lifestyle and behind-the-scenes stuff, it might not be the funniest and most witty film ever, but it is likable enough with the good stars and small romantic plot. Good!