America's Sweethearts by Billy Crystal and Peter Tolan - 7 out of 10

America's Sweethearts by Billy Crystal and Peter Tolan
7 out of 10


For all the great actors that participate in this comedy - romance, this feature has failed to impress.

Indeed the Metascore aka the average rating given by critics is a paltry 44 out of 100.
If they were facing an exam here, in our land, they would have failed and be sent to return the next year.
Furthermore, audiences have not been overwhelmed either, although they have been more generous with a 5.7 out of 10 markup.

Gwen Harrison is played by a very good Catherine Zeta-Jones, and she is a film star that has had a love story with Eddie Thomas aka John Cusack, her partner on the screen.
The film's they had made together have been successful at the box office.

From the scenes we see, those productions appear rather silly, if not altogether stupid.
It could be a take on Hollywood, which puts out so much garbage, or if that is too strong a word, rather unchallenging motion pictures.

The two major stars separate however and Gwen's films have tanked.
She is now with Hector aka Hank Azaria.

In a fit of jealousy and wishing for revenge, Eddie has jump with a motorcycle into the restaurant where his ex partner was lunching with his rival.
It was considered that he tried to kill one or both of them.

Meanwhile, Dave Kingman, the producer played by the great Stanley Tucci, is aggravated because they have no film to launch.
He has counted on an acclaimed but very eccentric director, Hal Weidmann aka the legendary Christopher Walken, to be at the helm of a movie that is not delivered.

Let me just say this:

When it would eventually arrive, it would produce more than a commotion.
It will be an uproar and an exposure of vanity, falsity, big egos.

Indeed, we learn from the quintessential book on Hollywood, Adventures in the Screen Trade, by the regretted, fabulous William Goldman, that the main point of this feature is spot on.
Goldman has written about what Dustin Hoffman has done on the set of Marathon Man...and it is ugly and this is how many, maybe most, stars act.

Robert Redford, who is not a God,has been vicious, incredible in his dealings with Goldman, and not just once.
Al Pacino does not come off well from this tremendous book either.

Gwen has a sister, Kiki aka the one who has been the engine of so many films a few years ago, Julia Roberts.
She used to be fat and now she looks great...like, well, Julia Roberts.

The pretentious sister star is very abusive and treats Kiki, who is not in movies and functions like an assistant, like she was a slave.
On the bright side, Eddie may finally see the real Gwen and manage to discover the potential of Kiki.

But before then, there is the annoying, somewhat amusing process of a PR coup.
Gwen and Eddie are supposed to get back together.

Indeed, in the old days of Cecil B. DeMille, when the studios used to have absolute power, they controlled their employees completely.
They lied about their private lives, if one was gay, there was no mention of that, in an age when homosexuality was illegal.

Manufactured romances where presented to the public.
In a way, this is the hope behind the forced reunion of Gwen and Eddie...
They might boost takes at the box office together, like in the old days.

In conclusion, this is worth watching only for the actors, but even they cannot make this a piece de resistance.