John Cusack, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Julia Roberts in "America's Sweethearts."

MOVIE INFORMATION

With 10 as a must-see, Jack gives this film a: Stars: Julia Roberts, John Cusack, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Billy Crystal Director: Joe Roth Rated: PG-13, with profanity and innuendo Length: 102 minutes

ROCHESTERCRITIQUE

Having seen this film, how would you rate it? 10 5 9 4 8 3 7 2 6 1

By Jack Garner
Democrat and Chronicle

(July 19, 2001) -- If America's Sweethearts were projected like Memento -- that is, backward -- we'd leave the theater feeling better about this new romantic comedy.

In a grand first act, Julia Roberts, Billy Crystal, Catherine Zeta-Jones and John Cusack make us expect a sophisticated adult comedy worthy of Ernst Lubitsch or Billy Wilder. But under Joe Roth's direction, the film meanders downhill, reaching a finale as pedestrian as a summer-replacement TV sitcom.

The premise is ripe: Zeta-Jones and Cusack play Gwen Harrison and Eddie Thomas, movie stars who frequently work together and who are unhappily wed in real life. Gwen is living with a macho Spaniard (Hank Azaria), and Eddie has been through six months of off-the-wall therapy with a New Age guru (a hilarious Alan Arkin).

Julia Roberts is Kiki, Gwen's sister and assistant, who puts up with Gwen's arrogance and spoiled-star foibles. She's a combination of Cinderella and Ugly Duckling (with Roberts, that means only slightly less than stunning).

And Billy Crystal -- who co-wrote the film -- is Lee Phillips, the head of studio publicity, assigned to corral the feuding stars for their latest film's promotional junket. The film won't be ready to show to the press, so he needs his star couple to generate a media distraction.

Lee massages Eddie into compliance, while he convinces Kiki to deliver her sister for the big-time press junket at a posh hotel near Las Vegas, where all hell breaks loose. There we learn -- no surprise -- that timid Kiki has long loved Eddie, and the jilted star becomes aware of feelings for her.

But the junket is also where America's Sweethearts careens from smart to silly. Eddie gets cactus burrs in his crotch, the junket journalists are inane ninnies who never factor into the plot, the Spaniard becomes the target of endless jokes about his, uh, endowments, and in a moment of true nonsense, Eddie nearly falls off the hotel roof.

Finally, we get a labored, flat denouement, with predictable romantic results.

America's Sweethearts' mighty foursome keep their appeal going despite the collapse of the film. Roberts is her typical glowing self; no one falls more touchingly in love than America's most popular actress. Cusack offers his unkempt charm and intelligence. Zeta-Jones daringly dives into her role as the film's resident witch. And Crystal saves some of the film's best lines for himself.

Without the pleasure of watching this star quartet at work, America's Sweethearts would barely be a footnote on the summer of 2001. With them, it's just barely worth staying till the end.