John Cusack - Have you sold out? (America's Sweethearts (DVD))

Member Name: Katz1

Product:	America's Sweethearts (DVD)
Date:	19/10/01 (63 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Acting not too bad, stars John Cusack, Cameo by Christopher Walken

Disadvantages: Plotline a bit obvious

As soon as I heard that John Cusack was starring in a new movie, I knew I just had to see it. I don’t know what it is about him, I mean, he’s not that attractive, definitely not Brad Pitt in the looks department. I think it’s more a presence he has, his almost self-deprecating manner and dry wit. Sorry, I digress... I then saw the trailer for this movie and it wasn’t quite what I was expecting from a John Cusack film and I wasn’t quite as desperate to see it. It seemed much more of a Hollywood blockbuster type of movie than the kind he usually does – I wondered whether, in fact, Mr. Cusack had perhaps sold out. However, I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt and went along (the film came out in Germany last week BTW).

I was expecting this to be a sugar sweet romantic comedy and to some extent it is:

The story, as you’ve probably derived from the trailers, centres around a married A-list celebrity acting couple, Eddie Thomas and Gwen Harrison (played by John Cusack and Catherine Zeta Jones), who have recently suffered a very messy and very public split. However, they were working together on a film at the time of this split and for the film to be a success, the film publicists need Eddie and Gwen to come together and market the film to create public interest and resurrect their slightly flogging careers (because apparently the public only likes to see films where the two of them are working side-by-side). That’s the premise – there then ensues lots of running around between the two actors in various attempts to get them to meet up. The middle-men here are the publicist Lee Phillips (Billy Crystal) and Gwen’s hard-done-by sister/personal assistant Kiki, played brilliantly by Julia Roberts. There are a few other bit roles that deserve a mention too, such as Gwen’s lisping Latino lover, played by Hank Azaria at his comic, if overacting, best (you may recognise him as the Englis
h-accented, fork-wielding super hero from the film “Mystery Men”), the sleazy film studio boss Dave Kingman (played by Stanley Tucci), and a wonderful cameo by Christopher Walken as the slightly barmy director, Hal Weidmann who is effectively keeping the film hostage, refusing to let anyone (including the film’s bosses)watch it until its premiere before journalists and critics.

That’s pretty much the story. Of course, there’s the inevitable romantic touches, which you see coming a mile off, but there are also enough twists and turns along the way to maintain your interest.

The film’s strengths lay in its amusing insight into the bizarre and entirely fake world of Hollywood and the movies. Catherine Zeta Jones, although I always find her slightly wooden, plays the stroppy, self-obsessed diva down to a T (perhaps she is really like that?) and Julia Roberts was not a bad choice for the underdog personal assistant, always bowing to the whims of her demanding sister. She is not quite so convincing as the hefty ugly duckling (the amount of fake flab and make up she must have had to wear!!), although she doesn’t do too badly there either. John Cusack, is, as ever, an astounding actor, although I do not consider this one of his best films (“Gross Pointe Blank” and “Pushing Tin” are better suited to his talents). His self-obsessed depression clinic scenes were my favourite and the on-screen chemistry with Roberts was also quite convincing. Christopher Walken, however, manages to steal every scene he is in with more presence than the rest of them put together!

It’s weaknesses are in the slightly obvious plot outcome and cheesy feel to the whole thing. There are also a few slapstick bits, which, although funny, are also obvious and have been done too many times to be classed as original.

I would go and see this film if you just want to see something light-hearted that w
ill probably make you laugh but doesn’t require much effort. I don't recommend it if you are in need of intellectual stimulation.

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