America's Sweethearts
America's Sweethearts Dir: Joe Roth, 2001 A review by A. Mary Murphy, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Canada The whole idea of America's Sweethearts is to have a little fun with the industry of film stars' lives, and the fact that their marriages, breakdowns and breakups have become an entertainment medium of their own. Further to this is the fact that not only does the consumer buy the product of stars' off-screen lives, but so (at times) do stars. Of course, part of the fun of this film is that it just happens to be populated by some very large careers, which makes for good box-office (and ironic) appeal -- with Julia Roberts, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Billy Crystal, and John Cusack as the front-line members of the cast. Everyone should be thoroughly convinced by now that Julia Roberts was born to play romantic comedy. Those liquid eyes and that blazing smile go directly to an audience's collective heart, and make it leap or ache as required. On the occasions when she steps out of her generic specialty, it's just an embarrassment (for example Mary Reilly [1996]); and reminds us that she is not a great dramatic actor -- the Academy Award notwithstanding. However, when Roberts stays within her limits, and does what she is undeniably talented at doing, there's nobody better. She's not the only big-name actress in America's Sweethearts, so she doesn't get all the screen time she's accustomed to, but she makes good use of her allotment. However, there are a couple of problems with the premise for her character, Kiki.
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