America’s Sweethearts ***½ (2001, Julia Roberts, John Cusack, Billy Crystal, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Hank Azaria, Stanley Tucci, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin, Seth Green) – Classic Movie Review 2521

Billy Crystal bites the hand that feeds him in his cracking (co-written) screenplay for director Joe Roth’s sparkling 2001 Hollywood comedy. And, Crystal included,  called he’s got just the right cast to make it sizzle.

Catherine Zeta-Jones and John Cusack play once happily married movie stars Gwen and Eddie, Tinseltown’s golden couple, who split in anger after her affair with a Spanish co-star called Hector Gorgonzolas [well, really!!] (Hank Azaria). Zeta-Jones has a younger sister to assist her – Kiki (Julia Roberts), who’s in love with Cusack’s Eddie.

Crystal gives himself a gem of part as a cynical, wisecracking press agent trying to juggle all the egos and cope with the zany studio head (Stanley Tucci) and crazy, reclusive film director (Christopher Walken) at a preview of the couple’s final movie together, attended of course by the warring duo. While the movie publicist tries to keep reporters at bay, the film’s director holds the print hostage.

This heady cocktail doesn’t all work, but mostly this is a very funny movie, polished, feel-good entertainment, with a lot of favourite actors seeming to enjoy themselves enormously.

Also in the cast are Alan Arkin, Seth Green, Scott Zeller, Larry King, Steve Pink, Rainn Wilson, Keri Lynn Pratt, Maria Canals, Charlie Steiner and Shaun Robinson.

Arkin plays Cusack’s reluctant psychologist, just as he did in Grosse Point Blank. Pink, who plays Cusack’s limo driver, played Cusack’s classmate in Grosse Point Blank. Pink also directed Hot Tub Time Machine starring Cusack.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Classic Movie Review 2521

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