I did not know what to expect when I watched America’s Sweethearts. I knew of the film and I knew it did well when it came out in 2001. It made 93 million domestically. That was really all I knew about the movie. I did not know what it was about or even who starred in it. I saw it in the library and decided why not?

America’s Sweethearts was a surprise for me. I was surprised that it was a pretty good movie. I was surprised by the humor in it, and I was surprised about the direction the movie went in. The film stars John Cusack, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Billy Crystal, and Julia Roberts. They are the primary characters. John Cusak and Catherine Zeta-Jones play two actors who were once married to each other and they were known as America’s Sweethearts costarring in dozens of movies together. They are no longer together and that is hurting their careers. They have to face each other to promote their last movie they filmed together and have to do press and build up an interest in the movie, so it doesn’t tank. John Cusak is Eddie Thomas and Catherine Zeta-Jones is Gwen Harrison. Billy Crystal plays Lee Phillips the publicist while Julia Roberts plays Kiki Harrison who is Gwen’s sister and also works for her and is at her beck and call. Eddie and Gwen both hate each other and are still bitter about their breakup. Eddie wants Gwen back who has a boyfriend played by Hank Azaria. Another thing that caught me off guard was as time went on throughout the film, there was a shift in who Eddie should be with romantically. I was expecting given the premise that a big chunk of the plot would be about Eddie trying to get Gwen back and them falling for each other again. This movie took a different approach with the topic.

The movie has a solid cast. The supporting players are equally strong which include Stanley Tucci as the studio head, Christopher Walken as an eccentric director, and Seth Green whose character is supposed to take over Billy Crystal’s character’s job. John Cusack does a really good job as Eddie and Catherine Zeta-Jones plays Gwen well. It is fitting that Julia Roberts is in the movie given the title since in real life she has always been deemed as America’s Sweetheart. When this movie came out, she had proven success in dozens of romantic comedies including Pretty Woman and Runaway Bride. Character wise, I will say that for me personally, I liked Kiki better than Gwen. I thought Gwen was a bit self-centered. I think Catherine Zeta-Jones played Gwen very well. A lot of the times I felt bad for Kiki and how Gwen treated her.

I was surprised that this movie had some twists in it. Usually, romantic comedies are not known for having twists they way other genres do. There were some good twists that had nothing to do with the romance aspect of the movie.

I thought America’s Sweethearts was a pretty good movie. It had a good plot and for me it was interesting having the setting be about two actors who have to do a press junket to promote a movie they starred in. A lot of the film had to deal with the behind scenes of doing press to promote the movie. I always enjoy that stuff. This was a solid movie and had a good cast with some twists that helped elevate the movie in its genre a little bit. I think the twists also helped keep the movie interesting.