America’s Sweethearts ***
Directed by: Joe Roth
Written by: Billy Crystal and Peter Tolan
Starring: John Cusack, Julia Roberts, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Billy Crystal
Rated PG-13 (language, adult situations)
I should have known. I should have expected it. I saw Christopher Walken in the trailer, and it just didn’t click. I was expecting this to be just another standard, run-of-the-mill, written-by-a-hack, guaranteed-to-be-a-hit-with-teenage-girls chick flick. Thankfully, I was wrong.
America’s Sweethearts is a charming, fun, lighthearted movie. It’s unpretentious, which is a good thing. It could have nose-dived so easily, given what it is trying to do. What it tries to do is recall the classic romantic comedies of yesteryear. It does, but it also realizes that a film like Bringing Up Baby would tank if it were made today.
Eddie Thomas (Cusack) and Gwen Harrison (Zeta-Jones) are America’s Sweethearts – an unstoppable duo at the box office. They’re gorgeous, they’re electric on-screen together, everyone loves them, and they’re married in real life! But, something went wrong. Gwen has been living with Hector (Hank Azaria) for a year-and-a-half, and has filed a restraining order against Eddie. Really bad breakup. Funny, but bad. (Think Eyes Wide Shut, but make it a comedy, and that’s how big a break-up we’re dealing with.) In that time, Gwen’s two solo vehicles have bombed, and Eddie has been in intensive therapy. One thing could save their careers – their last film together, Time Over Time, a sci-fi time-travel romance-adventure. Time Over Time is being directed by legendary director Hal Wideman (Christopher Walken) – legendary for his work, and his eccentricities. It should be a smash, but there’s one problem – the studio lacks the film. The studio needs a hit. Gwen needs a hit. America needs Gwen and Eddie. Enter Lee (Crystal) – film publicist! Lee’s job is to a) organize a press junket, and b) make America think that Eddie and Gwen are back together.
This movie is predictable. Know what? I didn’t care. America’s Sweethearts was just loads of fun to watch. The characters are silly, but not absurd. Think melodrama, not mellerdrammer. Gwen is spoiled, helpless, and knows she’s gorgeous. Kiki (Roberts), her sister and assistant, is put-upon, capable, charming, and adorable. Eddie is trying his best to remain sane, but doesn’t come across as pathetic. And the girls in the theatre liked him, too. Lee is in one of the most evil professions that exists, yet you love him. Hal is played by Christopher Walken – how much cooler can you get? Hector – ooooo, he’s an egoist, but he’s still entertaining.
The movie isn’t flawless, but that’s alright. It understood its limits, and didn’t cross the line. While it is clearly an homage to what romantic comedies used to be, it also understands that the audience is not the same.
The clips from the Thomas/Harrison ‘movies’ that we see are very well-done. They’re campy, ridiculous, and could be made next week. Roth also did some nice ‘guerrilla-style’ work – reminiscent of Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich). And, like Jonze, he knows how to use Walken in comedy – something that just isn’t done often enough. Another thing the movie got right was the fact that the humor wasn’t topical – I only caught one pop-culture reference. Credit for this should go to Crystal, and he should know from what funny is. There is some slapstick, but no bodily-function humor. Most of the laughs come from the situations. The situations are silly and improbable, but remember – it’s a movie about a celebrity couple. How much realism do you expect?
America’s Sweethearts is charming, surprisingly witty, light, and fun. But, you should be aware that it’s not a Tom Hanks/Meg Ryan romantic comedy. It’s not a Hepburn/Grant romantic comedy, either. While it won’t be the classic that Pretty Woman is, and might not be a huge blockbuster, it’s a nice way to spend an evening, and won’t be out-of-place in your home library.
