America's Sweethearts

Yet another frothy American comedy in the vein of “While You Were Sleeping”. “Notting Hill” et al may fill you with fear and loathing, but there are a number of reasons why you should give “America’s Sweethearts” a chance.

The first is that it is scripted by its co-star Billy Crystal. As anyone who has had the all-night Oscar experience on more than one occasion will know, Billy Crystal is without doubt the man with the best insider gags around. At once affectionate and scathing about the Hollywood system, and extremely funny into the bargain, Crystal is a comic delight. And, although not as wild and relentless as his Oscar performances, the “America’s Sweethearts” script often sparkles with wit and shrewd observations -the creation of Christopher Walken’s bizarre, controlling Kubrick-esque director is nothing less than inspired.

The second reason is that this film has the kind of cast that producers would kill for, and they all shine. Roberts has done the sweet, slightly neurotic heroine for years, and we love her for it. However, she leaves the showier role for Zeta-Jones as her bitchy celebrity sister, and she takes to it like a duck to water, just as we always thought she would. John Cusack, quite the favourite with the ladies, is suitably pathetic and charismatic as the forlorn leading man who is dying to get his lost love back. Until he meets Roberts. And Billy Crystal, he knows the ropes well, and he climbs them with style.

Thirdly, the story is so topical that it might have been published in the National Enquirer last week. Simply, Cusack and Zeta-Jones are the Cruise and Kidman of the film, and since they split-up their films have been bombing at the box-office. Crystal, as the spin-doctor and fixer-upper extraordinaire, is employed by the studios to sort it all out, but it’s always obvious exactly how this is all going to turn out, but it’s no less enjoyable for it.

Celebrity bust-ups are hot property for the press, and a film that takes a playful poke at the public’s conception of film stars was well needed, if only to show how sad the obsession really is. These are just people, who love, fight and sulk like the rest of the world. This considered, however, “America’s Sweethearts” is hardly the pinnacle of subtlety – crudity, shameless mugging, and insane caricatures abound, but its one of the most purely, simply amusing films of the year.

Greg Taylor