How did they manage to create such a beautiful film, a pretty love story, when the story is about two nutters spying on their former partners. When you think about what the story is about, and how far Sam (Matthew Broderick) and Maggie (Meg Ryan) are willing to go in order to get back to (and at) their former partners you would think that both should be either jailed or institutionalized. However, Addicted to Love, manages to create a fairly romantic love story out of it, without us ever doubting the sanity behind their actions. Both Matthew and Meg are here in roles they have portrait many times before in other films, while the star of the film is Tchéky Karyo. You end up hating him and loving him at the same time, feeling sorry for him one minute, wishing him all the worst the next. This is crucial to the story, bringing me to the conclusion that it is Tchéky that really makes the whole film work. One could criticize that even though the idea is original, the story isn't, with no unexpected turns or twists along the way. Simple, but pleasant film. 6/10
77 Reviews
Very flawed, but good anyway
Tito-82 May 1999
This generally enjoyable comedy should have been much better than it was, considering all the talent that worked on this film. The problem is, it isn't dark enough to be a dark comedy, but it is too dark to be a romantic comedy. Therefore, some of the revenge seemed too mean-spirited, and some of the sweet moments seemed out-of-place. BUT, even with that big of a problem, I still enjoyed the film. It was consistently funny and entertaining, and Broderick and Ryan both gave good performances. The best performance, however, was by Karyo, and he was probably my favorite thing about this movie.
Bitter sweet revenge fuelled romantic comedy. Nice.
imseeg16 May 2019
Revenge, that's the ultimate drive behind this story. Take revenge on your ex, who has cheated on you. Matthew Broderick and Meg Ryan, both have been dumped by their former lovers and now they both wanna take revenge. Will they be able to and will it mend their broken heart?
Bitter sweet romantic comedy. Not the best, but certainly quite funny and charming.
Bitter sweet romantic comedy. Not the best, but certainly quite funny and charming.
A black romantic comedy- something you don't come across very often.
Silverzero28 March 2003
When you hear the words `romantic comedy', the first thing that springs to mind is some sugary, smiley, big-haired, feather-light Julia Roberts escapade. `Addicted to Love' presents us with the polar opposite to this, even if the premise is pretty the same as you'd find in the usual rom-com. The result is a deft, reckless, amusing and entertaining heavy-handed movie. There isn't much to bicker about here.
Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick show tremendous colour and prove to be likeable characters as the vengeful stalkers. Tcheky Karyo is funny as the clumsy French fool. Kelly Preston is the least convicted of the four main characters, but is still relatively good.
The film has its own generally funny slapstick moments that compensate for the lack of verbal wit. The narrative that follows is good enough to keep you wanting more, and the jokes are all very well timed. The title Robert Palmer song adds to the reckless, but endearing epitome of the film. The directing styles aren't amazing, but they're hip and stylish for the most part.
Overall, it isn't film of the century and is far from outstanding, but `Addicted to Love' is original, entertaining and very funny for the most part. I give it 6.8 out of 10.
Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick show tremendous colour and prove to be likeable characters as the vengeful stalkers. Tcheky Karyo is funny as the clumsy French fool. Kelly Preston is the least convicted of the four main characters, but is still relatively good.
The film has its own generally funny slapstick moments that compensate for the lack of verbal wit. The narrative that follows is good enough to keep you wanting more, and the jokes are all very well timed. The title Robert Palmer song adds to the reckless, but endearing epitome of the film. The directing styles aren't amazing, but they're hip and stylish for the most part.
Overall, it isn't film of the century and is far from outstanding, but `Addicted to Love' is original, entertaining and very funny for the most part. I give it 6.8 out of 10.
An "okay" dark comedy
vincentlynch-moonoi22 July 2014
Warning: Spoilers
I've watched this film twice over the past few years. The first time I walked away from it wondering what was bothering me about the film. So this time I watched it from that perspective...and the reason became immediately clear. There's no character to "like" in this film. Well, there was one -- Maureen Stapleton -- always a joy to watch, though here her role took up far too few minutes. But as for the lead characters: Matthew Broderick's character is madly in love with a woman (Kelly Preston's character) whom he totally takes for granted and could care less about her desires for her life. Preston's character moves to NYC and falls in love with a low-life a------ who is using her (and any other woman he can) to get a green card. Broderick's pathetic character follows her to NYC to spy on her and deceitfully win her back. Meanwhile, Preston's character has fallen in love with the ex of Ryan's character, and Ryan's character is going to get her revenge against him for using her to get a green card...and then dumping her. So the question is: who do you root for in this film? No one! And that's the problem! So to me, the basic story line is quite flawed, not that the film doesn't have its funny (and occasionally touching) moments. Cockroaches set free in the green card hungry Frenchman's restaurant. Now that's funny! Broderick's character in a physical fight with the Frenchman who has 2 broken arms and a strawberry rash. That's funny! But an old Lassie television show being show in flight? No, I don't think so, and I failed to see the relevance to the story...although they portray that as a relevant moment is Broderick realizing he is in love with Ryan.
Don't mistake my criticisms of the characters for criticism of the actors. Matthew Broderick is fine here. But when you consider his career, you wonder why he didn't become the "every man" type of actor like Jimmy Stewart. He had it in him, but I can't say the right roles came his way...or he didn't accept the right roles. He has had an "okay" career, but it would be difficult to define him as a film star (though he has done well on Broadway).
Meg Ryan was the preeminent love-comedy actress for quite a few years, and in this film you can see why. She's not exactly my style, yet I've enjoyed pretty much every film I've seen her in. Though her popularity has faded, I still enjoy seeing her.
As to the secondary love interests: Tchéky Karyo as the Frenchman; no thank you. I'm glad this is the only film I've seen him in. Kelly Preston...well, okay.
If you don't expect a lot from this film, then you may very well enjoy it...sort of. But it's not Broderick or Ryan at their best, and the plot seems to plod, despite lively situations. It's just sorta broken slightly.
Don't mistake my criticisms of the characters for criticism of the actors. Matthew Broderick is fine here. But when you consider his career, you wonder why he didn't become the "every man" type of actor like Jimmy Stewart. He had it in him, but I can't say the right roles came his way...or he didn't accept the right roles. He has had an "okay" career, but it would be difficult to define him as a film star (though he has done well on Broadway).
Meg Ryan was the preeminent love-comedy actress for quite a few years, and in this film you can see why. She's not exactly my style, yet I've enjoyed pretty much every film I've seen her in. Though her popularity has faded, I still enjoy seeing her.
As to the secondary love interests: Tchéky Karyo as the Frenchman; no thank you. I'm glad this is the only film I've seen him in. Kelly Preston...well, okay.
If you don't expect a lot from this film, then you may very well enjoy it...sort of. But it's not Broderick or Ryan at their best, and the plot seems to plod, despite lively situations. It's just sorta broken slightly.
Romantic comedy with a rather hard edge
SMK-411 December 1998
This is a romantic comedy with a rather hard edge, or, to put it differently, a European-style farce with a too cushy ending.
Apparently, this film was conceived as a Meg Ryan vehicle, i.e. as a product suitable for her established screen persona. This was a mistake. The cast choice (and the marketing) make the outcome of the film blatantly obvious and that takes away too much suspense from the viewing experience. Also, the film makers did not have the courage to bring the misfortunes heaped upon Anton Depeaux (played very well by Tcheky Karyo) to their logical conclusion. It's designed as a chick-flick and thus everyone's gotta be happy at the end. A more emotionally ambiguous ending could have turned this into something special.
Apparently, this film was conceived as a Meg Ryan vehicle, i.e. as a product suitable for her established screen persona. This was a mistake. The cast choice (and the marketing) make the outcome of the film blatantly obvious and that takes away too much suspense from the viewing experience. Also, the film makers did not have the courage to bring the misfortunes heaped upon Anton Depeaux (played very well by Tcheky Karyo) to their logical conclusion. It's designed as a chick-flick and thus everyone's gotta be happy at the end. A more emotionally ambiguous ending could have turned this into something special.
I'm not addicted, but it is a funny movie.
Sirus_the_Virus18 November 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Matthew Broderick, Meg Ryan and Kelly Preston star in Addicted to love. Perhaps I am a bit too late on writing the review. Considering this movie came out 12 years ago. But here I am ,writng the review for this pretty funny and fun romantic comedy.
Broderick stars as Sam, an astronomer who's wife(Kelly Preston) starts having an affair with a french man named Antawne in New York. So Sam travels down to New York to stalk them. While there, he meets a strange woman named Maggie(Played by Meg Ryan). It turns out that Maggie used to date Antawne, and she is stalking him. So while stalking their ex-lovers, they both fall for each other. Of course they do.
I'll admit that the movie ain't art. But I found this movie amusing and funny. There are a lot of funny lines, such as"If you ever do that to me again... i'll rip out your eyes and rape your skull".Or something like that. Like pretty much all romantic comedies, the ending is of course predictable. But with this one I didn't mind. It's a good movie.
Addicted to love:***/****
Broderick stars as Sam, an astronomer who's wife(Kelly Preston) starts having an affair with a french man named Antawne in New York. So Sam travels down to New York to stalk them. While there, he meets a strange woman named Maggie(Played by Meg Ryan). It turns out that Maggie used to date Antawne, and she is stalking him. So while stalking their ex-lovers, they both fall for each other. Of course they do.
I'll admit that the movie ain't art. But I found this movie amusing and funny. There are a lot of funny lines, such as"If you ever do that to me again... i'll rip out your eyes and rape your skull".Or something like that. Like pretty much all romantic comedies, the ending is of course predictable. But with this one I didn't mind. It's a good movie.
Addicted to love:***/****
Transitory love...
moonspinner5527 August 2005
Astronomer Matthew Broderick sets out to spy on his ex-girlfriend and her new lover; when the man's jilted fiancée comes into the picture, the two conspire to bust up the budding romance. Amiable, rascally, but ultimately predictable comedy is more about transitory love than love addictions. Sunny Meg Ryan gets to work with a little more shading and edge than usual--and she works well with Broderick--but the second-half of the movie skitters around trying to come up with an ending (the finale is cute, like the rest, but some of the wind has already gone out of the picture's sails). Director Griffin Dunne stages a few beautiful comedic scenes (as with the restaurant critic), but Broderick's 'friendship' with the new man in his girl's life is just silly, and the whole conceit of Broderick and Ryan setting up shop in an abandoned building right across the street from the loving couple is fairly ridiculous. Still, there are finely wrought, surprisingly telling moments in the movie, such as the two leads sneaking over and going through the things in the love-nest or Kelly Preston telling her Frenchman that she would sell pencils on the street with him if she had to. "Addicted to Love" is better than it had to be. *** from ****
Villainous Romantic Yarn, Lacking Chemistry or Charm
krdement8 May 2008
Warning: Spoilers
This is a wretched, wrong-headed little waste of celluloid. Do not be deceived by the film's strange sleight of hand, mis-focusing the audience on Broderick and Ryan. This is actually a story about a young woman (Kelly Preston) from America and an immigrant from France (Tcheky Karyo) who meet in New York and fall in love. Preston, raised in a small town, finally spreads her wings and flies away to the big city in pursuit of her dreams. There she meets Karyo, the man of her dreams, who loves America where he has come to achieve his dreams. Sadly the two of them are dogged by their sicko, stalking ex-lovers who conspire to wreak mayhem upon them and turn their dreams into a nightmare.
Broderick and Ryan commit heinous crimes, including invasion of privacy (on multiple levels), stalking, and breaking and entering. They are seriously disturbed voyeurs who generate no chemistry and no sympathy. I was touched only by the steady, true love of Preston and Karyo which even overcomes the sinister machinations of Broderick and Ryan. The film attempts to get the audience to identify with the sickos, instead of the true protagonists of this film. Unfortunately, their characters provide no chemistry and nothing with which I could identify. I just felt compassion for the two objects of their demented malevolence.
In a comment thread on this film, someone suggested the film's ending was too pat - that there was too much neat "resolution." To the contrary, this film provides too LITTLE resolution. After the twin menaces of Broderick and Ryan finally depart, were Preston and Karyo able to reconstruct their lives of love and security and promise? Or were they forever reduced to penury as a result of Broderick's and Ryan's conspiracy?
The acting in this film is pedestrian except for Karyo, who is quite good. Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick never come close to portraying 3-dimensional characters - much less, likable ones - or achieving any on-screen chemistry. This is a pitiful excuse for a romance or a comedy or a romantic comedy.
Tragically, this film is about two people from disparate backgrounds who, against all odds meet, fall in love and build a dream life only to have it devastated by two contemptuous criminals from their past. There was nothing funny about two deranged, deluded people utterly destroying the lives of two other people who have found love, happiness and success together in the big city. For me, causing misery in the lives of others is a poor basis for comedy.
Broderick and Ryan commit heinous crimes, including invasion of privacy (on multiple levels), stalking, and breaking and entering. They are seriously disturbed voyeurs who generate no chemistry and no sympathy. I was touched only by the steady, true love of Preston and Karyo which even overcomes the sinister machinations of Broderick and Ryan. The film attempts to get the audience to identify with the sickos, instead of the true protagonists of this film. Unfortunately, their characters provide no chemistry and nothing with which I could identify. I just felt compassion for the two objects of their demented malevolence.
In a comment thread on this film, someone suggested the film's ending was too pat - that there was too much neat "resolution." To the contrary, this film provides too LITTLE resolution. After the twin menaces of Broderick and Ryan finally depart, were Preston and Karyo able to reconstruct their lives of love and security and promise? Or were they forever reduced to penury as a result of Broderick's and Ryan's conspiracy?
The acting in this film is pedestrian except for Karyo, who is quite good. Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick never come close to portraying 3-dimensional characters - much less, likable ones - or achieving any on-screen chemistry. This is a pitiful excuse for a romance or a comedy or a romantic comedy.
Tragically, this film is about two people from disparate backgrounds who, against all odds meet, fall in love and build a dream life only to have it devastated by two contemptuous criminals from their past. There was nothing funny about two deranged, deluded people utterly destroying the lives of two other people who have found love, happiness and success together in the big city. For me, causing misery in the lives of others is a poor basis for comedy.
vengeance is brutal fun
e_mclachlan27 December 1999
This film is a sweet punch in the nose in the else so flat land of comedy these days. A mischievous story told a little differently, with excellent cinematic solutions - film within film - draws your attention in. Griffin Dunne, known as actor and producer, made an interesting directing debut. Broderick, Ryan and Karyo use all the tools provided, and do a good job of it. It is brutal and fun.
I expect more from meg Ryan
Trambinator6 February 2007
I apologize if this is more about Meg Ryan than the movie but I just saw this flick for the first time tonight despite meaning to check it out for years frankly. I just expected more from Meg Ryan -- more from her career to be honest.
She plays her standard semi-bimbo, semi-slick and yet semi-alluring chick with little substance and not much thought it seems for how her dialogue progresses -- DOA and the Presidio some to mind. Her career is chock full of meaningful characters that defined themselves with any number of strong emotional traits. Even her small supporting role in Top Gun was incredibly well done, despite the arguably contrived and cheesy nature of the film (you have to admit -- cheese doesn't get better). She was electric in that movie -- Harry Met Sally of course is another. You felt her true emotion. I'm a hetero male so it takes a lot of soul-searching to write something bad about Meg. LOL. I just think she's a little one dimensional in a lot of her films and Addicted to Love is one of them. I have no idea what her character is truly thinking in most scenes and what her motivation is. I think that a lot of her troubles are poor script choices. But no one is forcing her.
I would skip it or wait for cable.
She plays her standard semi-bimbo, semi-slick and yet semi-alluring chick with little substance and not much thought it seems for how her dialogue progresses -- DOA and the Presidio some to mind. Her career is chock full of meaningful characters that defined themselves with any number of strong emotional traits. Even her small supporting role in Top Gun was incredibly well done, despite the arguably contrived and cheesy nature of the film (you have to admit -- cheese doesn't get better). She was electric in that movie -- Harry Met Sally of course is another. You felt her true emotion. I'm a hetero male so it takes a lot of soul-searching to write something bad about Meg. LOL. I just think she's a little one dimensional in a lot of her films and Addicted to Love is one of them. I have no idea what her character is truly thinking in most scenes and what her motivation is. I think that a lot of her troubles are poor script choices. But no one is forcing her.
I would skip it or wait for cable.
Dumped
Petey-107 February 2010
Sam is an astronomer who has been together with his school teacher girlfriend Linda about forever.Then she takes a job in New York and finds a new man in her life, a suave French restaurateur Anton.He settles to an abandoned building across the street from Anton's apartment.He starts spying on Anton and his ex, he even borrows a camera obscura from his observatory which projects a life-size image from the apartment.Later he is joined by Maggie, Anton's bitter ex with vengeance on her mind.Now those two try to break up their old sweethearts, in a way or another.Addicted to Love (1997) is actor/director Griffin Dunne's directorial debut.And it's a very nice debut.Matthew Broderick does top-notch work as Sam.His character is a nice guy who ends up making the wrong decisions.Meg Ryan does a very nice job as Maggie.Her character may be a little annoying from time to time, but I guess she grows on you.Kelly Preston is terrific as Linda.Tchéky Karyo is brilliant as Anton.Maureen Stapleton makes a marvelous Nana.Nesbitt Blaisdell is very good as Ed Green.And so is Larry Pine as Street comic.Director's late great father Dominick Dunne portrays Matheson.The movie has pretty many funny and tragicomic scenes.One of them is when Linda's father reads the note to Sam his daughter has left.It is quite intriguing to watch all those ways they use to break up the couple and to make Anton's life miserable.The vendor's monkey wearing lipstick kisses Anton.They plant roaches in Anton's restaurant when a famous critic is dining there.You start feeling some sort of pity for the man when Maggie has caused him an allergic reaction from strawberries and Sam accidentally hurts the guy in a physical way.In a series of romantic comedies this is pretty original.
They use a camera obscura...
briefcase11912 May 2006
Just a point of clarification... Sam, as an astronomer, is familiar with a tool used many decades before for observing distant objects, called a camera obscura. It works very much like an overhead projector, but it has no light source of its own. A lens and/or prism receives an outside image and projects it upon a flat wall of a darkened room using the light from the outside image. See http://brightbytes.com/cosite/what.html
On several occasions in the film when the girlfriend and the boyfriend are moving about in the other apartment, you will notice Maggie or Sam turning the camera obscura to follow the action, and it moves the projected image.
The use of this astronomical tool adds much needed depth to the Sam character, and the "projector" is perhaps the only metaphysical allusion in the whole film.
On several occasions in the film when the girlfriend and the boyfriend are moving about in the other apartment, you will notice Maggie or Sam turning the camera obscura to follow the action, and it moves the projected image.
The use of this astronomical tool adds much needed depth to the Sam character, and the "projector" is perhaps the only metaphysical allusion in the whole film.
Enjoyable in the 'heart-warming' category
imichelet14 January 2006
New York 1990s. Sam is a brilliant astronomer, who has two passions -the sky and Linda, his first and only love, a schoolteacher in the little Midwest town they live in. But all hell breaks loose when Linda has the opportunity to spend two months in New York, and falls in love with Antoine, a French guy who owns a restaurant and knows how to talk to ladies. Sam cannot accept to be dumped just like that. He goes to New York, settles in a ruined building facing the two lovebirds' apartment, and records every detail of their life, hoping to find a pattern that would indicate the end of the relationship and therefore his chance to get Linda back. This could have gone on for a while but Maggie appears. Ex-girlfriend of Antoine, she is as unwilling as Sam to let go of her love, but her approach is somewhat more active. You would not want her as an enemy that's for sure! Poor Antoine will have plenty opportunities to test the strength of his love. So will Sam and Maggie, who are in for a few surprises
With no more ambition than to offer a good moment to spectators, 'Addicted to Love' belongs to the 'Only You', 'French Kiss', and other 'While you were Sleeping', funny, light and heart-warming. Meg Ryan is really good at it.
Romantic Comedy with an Edge
Screen-721 October 1999
Better than average plot but not enough to raise it above B-level.
I think Meg Ryan's star status worked against her because her cute reputation undercut her tough character. However, she proves that she can do something besides "bubbly" and is pretty good in a more edgy role.
Tchéky Karyo was excellent as a semi-likable French guy. One common weakness in romantic comedies is that the viewer can't understand why the "nice girl" would fall in love with the "bad guy." In this movie, we can she why she loves him and, by the end, we even like him a little too. Good writing and acting.
Not Matthew Broaderick's best performance... fairly uneven. He doesn't do "hopelessly in love" very well. Broaderick looked great, even when disheveled. For that matter, all the characters look great.
Kelly Preston is pure cardboard but it sort of works because three developed characters are probably enough in a Romantic Comedy.
The set (the hideout, especially) stole the show. The sound was unusually good for a fluff movie.
I think Meg Ryan's star status worked against her because her cute reputation undercut her tough character. However, she proves that she can do something besides "bubbly" and is pretty good in a more edgy role.
Tchéky Karyo was excellent as a semi-likable French guy. One common weakness in romantic comedies is that the viewer can't understand why the "nice girl" would fall in love with the "bad guy." In this movie, we can she why she loves him and, by the end, we even like him a little too. Good writing and acting.
Not Matthew Broaderick's best performance... fairly uneven. He doesn't do "hopelessly in love" very well. Broaderick looked great, even when disheveled. For that matter, all the characters look great.
Kelly Preston is pure cardboard but it sort of works because three developed characters are probably enough in a Romantic Comedy.
The set (the hideout, especially) stole the show. The sound was unusually good for a fluff movie.
Wickedly Dark
Angela_Ray7136715 May 2006
Warning: Spoilers
I hate it when people write things like "wasn't realistic". When did a movie have to be realistic? It's about fantasy and entertainment and those looking for something realistic should check out the documentary section of the video store! This was a very cute dark comedy about love lost. I thought Meg Ryan and Matthew Brodrick were great together! Oh! and the things they did! The restaurant scene alone gave me gasp. Talk about going in for the kill! I would have given the movie a 10 but it did get slow towards the middle and I would have liked a little more explanation into Kelly Preston's character Linda. Like why wouldn't she just tell Sam in her letter that she met someone else and was in love? Well then I guess if she had then we wouldn't have the charming, funny, kind of disturbed movie that we got.
Typical... but different
lani-d12 July 2005
Addicted To Love is the predictable story of a boy meets girl, boy loses girl etc etc. But then there's the whole delightful set up of spying and sabotaging someone else's relationship with an unlikely partner.
Matthew Broderick plays the typical nice guy with lovely ideals and a desperation that's funny to watch. I love the Milkyway Man's tee-shirt. Also loved the "What's your name?"/"Mike."/"What's your name, Mike?"/"Sam." lines! Meg Ryan is great in a different role; this time someone who's hardened by a broken heart and closed to new relationships.
I loved that our protagonists were also antagonists, that no one was really what they seemed in the first place. Overall, the movie was so enjoyable but I think lacked some indeterminable thing that could've made it more than just a video store hit.
Matthew Broderick plays the typical nice guy with lovely ideals and a desperation that's funny to watch. I love the Milkyway Man's tee-shirt. Also loved the "What's your name?"/"Mike."/"What's your name, Mike?"/"Sam." lines! Meg Ryan is great in a different role; this time someone who's hardened by a broken heart and closed to new relationships.
I loved that our protagonists were also antagonists, that no one was really what they seemed in the first place. Overall, the movie was so enjoyable but I think lacked some indeterminable thing that could've made it more than just a video store hit.
Darker angry Meg Ryan almost threw me off
SnoopyStyle15 February 2014
Brilliant astronomer Sam (Matthew Broderick) is totally in love with small town girl Linda (Kelly Preston) who's never been away from home. She goes away to NYC for a job. He's devastated when she sends him a Dear John letter. He goes to NYC to track her down. He finds her living with Anton (Tchéky Karyo), and he sets up various equipment to watch the couple from across the street. One night, he's interrupted by mysterious Maggie (Meg Ryan) who is angry with her ex Anton. Together they bring havoc to Anton life.
This starts as a dark comedy by director Griffin Dunne. Meg Ryan is playing against type by being a bitter angry chick. She is the MPDG before the phrase was coined. I can certainly understand the loop people were thrown into way back when the movie first came out. Seeing it now with more time past, I can appreciate the comedy. She works as this obsessed vindictive chick, but is able to keep her cutie charm.
Matthew Broderick is also not the usual rom-com material. He's way too weak and not the alpha male common in a rom-com. He's funniest when he's most pathetic.
This usual pairing is a challenge when this movie goes into traditional rom-com mode. But Meg Ryan is able to bring out the charm at the right time. That's probably the saving grace of this movie. However I could see a darker scarier actress who could have made this even more interesting.
This starts as a dark comedy by director Griffin Dunne. Meg Ryan is playing against type by being a bitter angry chick. She is the MPDG before the phrase was coined. I can certainly understand the loop people were thrown into way back when the movie first came out. Seeing it now with more time past, I can appreciate the comedy. She works as this obsessed vindictive chick, but is able to keep her cutie charm.
Matthew Broderick is also not the usual rom-com material. He's way too weak and not the alpha male common in a rom-com. He's funniest when he's most pathetic.
This usual pairing is a challenge when this movie goes into traditional rom-com mode. But Meg Ryan is able to bring out the charm at the right time. That's probably the saving grace of this movie. However I could see a darker scarier actress who could have made this even more interesting.
7 on a scale of 10
len-211 January 2000
There is a big difference between a 7 and a 6 to me. I tape and keep any movie that is a 7 or better. I don't tape or keep any movie that is a 6 or less. So, when I have to make a decision on a movie that could go either way, it is a tough call. I figure this movie is about a 6.5. Rounded up, what do you have?
Even then, I could only give it a 6.5 because 1) I love Meg Ryan. 2) Romantic comedies are my favorite genres. 3) The ending was fairly nice. It took all that just to get a 6.5. That tells you a lot.
This movie was slow and sometimes boring and almost always not engaging. I was extremely disappointed in the chemistry (or lack thereof) between Ryan and Broderick (whom I also like). The writing failed to grip the audience. The plot idea is preposterous. And, the comedy part of "romantic comedy" was largely absent. Too bad. It could have been a good movie ... if it was just a different movie.
Even then, I could only give it a 6.5 because 1) I love Meg Ryan. 2) Romantic comedies are my favorite genres. 3) The ending was fairly nice. It took all that just to get a 6.5. That tells you a lot.
This movie was slow and sometimes boring and almost always not engaging. I was extremely disappointed in the chemistry (or lack thereof) between Ryan and Broderick (whom I also like). The writing failed to grip the audience. The plot idea is preposterous. And, the comedy part of "romantic comedy" was largely absent. Too bad. It could have been a good movie ... if it was just a different movie.
In the name of all that's holy, DO NOT see this movie!
chefscout30 June 2000
thank god i didn't pay to see this movie. alas, a late-night free showing at the theatre down the street was simply not enough to add any semblance of reality to this clunker.
as if the plot isn't bad enough, meg ryan and matthew broderick are so awkward as would-be lovers, i'm surprised there's not more footage of them tripping over each other.
and that inevitable kiss? smarm central. i haven't seen a kiss that awkward since i was in the sixth grade and my boy friend barney (yeah, who am i to talk?) leered "do you wanna french?" at me across the playground.
do yourself a favor and stay at home to wash your hair instead of seeing this movie.
as if the plot isn't bad enough, meg ryan and matthew broderick are so awkward as would-be lovers, i'm surprised there's not more footage of them tripping over each other.
and that inevitable kiss? smarm central. i haven't seen a kiss that awkward since i was in the sixth grade and my boy friend barney (yeah, who am i to talk?) leered "do you wanna french?" at me across the playground.
do yourself a favor and stay at home to wash your hair instead of seeing this movie.
Could have achieved a delicious nastiness
allyjack19 October 1999
Rather unusual movie in the context of recent Hollywood, which with a just slightly harder edge and less sympathetic soft-edged casting than Ryan and Broderick could have achieved a delicious nastiness. The scenes of the two of them wallowing in their voyeurism with the slightly hazy images of the camera obscura forming a giant backdrop are an occasionally superb portrayal of unabashed spying and scopophilia. The descent of Karyo from stylish, self-confident restauranteur to an unemployed disaster encased in plaster, desperate for someone to scratch his back, is surprisingly unsentimental and clear-eyed. Even the obligatory happy ending doesn't dilute the pervasive grimness as much as it might have done. The film has a gritty, often intriguing visual look, helped along by Ryan's odd off-kilter wardrobe - it stops short of truly hard-hitting commentary and is sometimes too sentimental or prone to knockabout comedy at the cost of pursuing its central possibilities, but it's distinctive at least.
Nothing Special
keiishidoya21 March 2000
This movie was no more than a typical love story. Though Meg Ryan for a change did not look like the "nice girl next door", she still played the same role as in her other movies. Both her and Matthew Broderick were very "cute" in the movie, and the move was something that is just nice to watch at home on video, but all in all, it was not anything incredible
Great Movie!
Patti-1417 January 1999
This is my all-time favorite movie. This would be an extremely hard part to play for both Broderick and Ryan. I think that there was great casting, great storyline, and great production staff. It's just too bad that this show didn't get as much recognition as it should have.
You know what they say about a woman scorned; and Matthew Brodrich is a man forlorn...
psmoviemaven25 January 2002
This number is a great little screwball comedy for the 90's. Meg Ryan and Matthew Brodrich have both been dumped for another. Each others another. So Meg convinces Matthew to use his astromical talents to help even the score. Meg is just a little edgier than her normal cutesy charactors. A fun film for a rainy night or any night you need a laugh or two.
Not very addictive...
ptervin10 January 1999
The story seems plausible, but the dialogue is below average. In
all, I found this 'romance' unappealing...something better
should have been done with the idea. What a waste. The
characters are not well developed and very little romance
actually makes it to the stars.
The funniest part (and this is not saying much) is that Linda
requires her father to deliver all her "Dear John" letters like
singing telegrams. Add one more of those and there may have been
something to look forward to every thirty minutes.
all, I found this 'romance' unappealing...something better
should have been done with the idea. What a waste. The
characters are not well developed and very little romance
actually makes it to the stars.
The funniest part (and this is not saying much) is that Linda
requires her father to deliver all her "Dear John" letters like
singing telegrams. Add one more of those and there may have been
something to look forward to every thirty minutes.
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