Director Joe Roth’s latest fun-filled romantic comedy, “America’s Sweethearts,” has an A-list Hollywood cast including Julia Roberts, Billy Crystal, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Hank Azaria and John Cusack.
Kiki (Julia Roberts) is the awkward, formerly fat, personal assistant to her narcissistic, movie star sister, Gwen Harrison (Catherine Zeta-Jones).
Gwen and her estranged mega-star husband, Eddie Thomas (John Cusack), are a Hollywood super-couple on the verge of filing for a divorce. Eddie has fallen to pieces in the process and has become completely neurotic because he cannot seem to get over Gwen.
Lee Phillips (Billy Crystal), the film’s publicist, coordinates a junket, a fully paid trip for each member of the press, in a remote desert retreat in Nevada to publicize the new release of their last film together. He convinces Kiki to bring the two back together again for their first public appearance since their messy break up.
However, Kiki finds that it will be more difficult than she thought to keep the peace between the soon-to-be-divorced couple; Gwen and Eddie must pretend that they are still an item in order to promote their last movie together, and save their careers.
To make things worse, things take a romantic turn when Kiki falls for Eddie, her longtime friend.
“America’s Sweethearts” is a parody of show business and its interdependence between the stars and the press.
Billy Crystal did a great job scripting the story, but one cannot keep from noticing that it is predictable, combining the fairy tales of “The Ugly Ducking” and “Cinderella.”
The most memorable character of the film would have to be Hector, Gwen’s new sexy Spaniard played by Hank Azaria. His performance is hilarious as he mixes a macho possessive boyfriend with a thick accent. Azaria manages not to play a stereotype, but rather a highly entertaining, foolish, yet lusty Spanish lover. He masters quite a difficult accent, complete with lisps and attitude.
Roberts’ performance had many comedic moments, though she is especially humorous when the film flashbacks to her fat days, donning a fat suit reminiscent of Courtney Cox in a television episode of “Friends.”
Though “Sweethearts,” which opens Friday, will be going up against “Jurassic Park III,” it should have a solid debut. Julia Roberts “Notting Hill,” released the week after “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace” and “Runaway Bride” the same weekend as “The Blair Witch Project” prove that her films are tough enough to go up against the biggest blockbusters.
