America's Sweethearts (Wide Screen) > Reviews > Billy Crystal one-liner fest

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Liked it
Story	Good
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Standard
How does it compare to similar films?	Good

Advantages:	Amazing casting, great acting, original story line
Disadvantages:	not romantic, and hardly ever funny

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Probably the most impressive feature of ‘America’s Sweethearts’ is the casting. Billy Crystal, who co-starred, co-produced and co-wrote the film. Gwen “Catherine-Zeta-Jones” and attempted murderer boyfriend Eddie “John Cusack” star as two insecure movie stars, whose recent movies have collapsed since they split up in real life. Its up to publicist “Billie Crystal” and Kiki “Julia Roberts” to make it look like they are back together, in order to sell the latest film by an eccentric director Kubrick “Christopher Walken”. Kiki, Gwens personal assistant/sister slowly realises her relationship with Eddie is more than just friendship.

Categorized as a romantic comedy, it’s hardly ever romantic and only occasionally funny. The jokes comprise of one liners written by and for Billie Crystal’s character. So if you are looking for any side-splitting humour it really isn’t there. And it really is hard to see which parts of the film are romantic after Eddie is caught franticly “spanking the monkey” outside his ex-wife’s apartment.

The main part of the film is based around the press junket or “hoonket” as Gwen’s Spanish lover would put it. As the film showing approaches and it has still not arrived at the studio, Crystal (the publicist) attempts to take the press’s minds off the film. By setting the stars up in awkward situations, one ending in a comic punch up between Eddie and the Spaniard.

The jokes are genuinley amusing but nothing memorable. I wouldn’t mind watching it again but, wouldn’t rush out to buy it on DVD.

It wont be winning oscars any time soon, but its good entertainment. Definitley worth watching.

Read on if you want info on the individual characters.

***********The Characters***********

---Julia Roberts – Kiki---
The sister to Gwen and also her assistant, she is not really the usual Julia Roberts, and for the first time ever doesn’t star in the film. She is forced to wear a fat suit in some of the flashbacks. And has lost 60lbs when the movie begins. She really acts like Julia Roberts while having dinner with Eddie, until Gwen barges in.

---Catherine-Zeta-Jones – Gwen---
Well sexy as ever she plays the bitchy, whiney, pampered movie star who believes that the world revolves around her. She really doesn’t seem to care about anyone’s feelings as long as she looks good in front of the press, but she ends up the looser as she becomes a laughing stock at the end of the film.

---John Cusack – Eddie---
After attempting to murder his ex wife and boyfriend after the break-up, he starts off in a sort of spiritual enlightenment centre in the mountains. Convinced to come back into the public eye he arrives at the Junket confused. He plays an insecure, crazy sort of movie star who nearly dies in front of the press as Crystal knocks him off the roof.

---Billy Crystal – Publicist---
The main culprit for causing all the insanity in the film, Crystal gets about 90% of the jokes in the film. But he is as witty and as funny as ever. Also not caring about the movie stars and treating them as puppets to play with. He releases an embracing tape of Eddie.