Hey folks, Harry here with the latest word on Joe Roth's AMERICA'S SWEETHEARTS, we've had people like it, but I fear that my feelings will mirror this review here... Read on....

Hey Harry,

I too attended the Pasadena screening last Thursday of "America's Sweethearts." My wife and I both felt like leaving about 30 minutes into the picture.

Reasons:

a)There's no development of any character. The movie barely has time to tell us that Julia and Catherine are supposedly sisters much less have us care about them.

b)Stupid dog gags, tasteless humor- I liked the wacky tasteless jokes of "Kingpin" five years ago but come on, Billy Crystal getting sniffed by a Doberman is annoying. On top of that, the same scene involves a gardener being attacked buy the same dog. "HA!" Then there's some lame gag involving Seth Green running on a golf course. Guess what? Someone yells fore! and he gets knocked over. HA! ...Stupid.

c)I so sick of films that try to portray Hollywood "for real" and always end up portraying the film-within-the-film as some bad 80's flick. Why do they do this? I'll tell you why, it's a distancing affect, it makes the real world of the film seem more genuine. Maybe, but in the mean time I never buy the work of Cusak and Zeta-Jones because no one would pay to see these movies. I know, I know, it's satire but come on, "Sunset Blvd" didn't do this.

d)Julia Roberts is a star - I know this is obvious and it probably seemed like a quirky idea to make Roberts an assistant sibling to Zeta-Jones but everytime Roberts is on the screen everyone else seems average. And don't give me the ole' that's the point thingie, it just comes off as false. When Mary Stuart Masterson was the diamond in the rough in "Some Kind of Wonderful" she wasn't a huge star (if anything Leah Thompson was more of a star since doing "Back to the Future" two years prior) so that was much easier to buy.

e)Hank Azaria is great at doing voices on "The Simpsons." Hank, the actor, however, doing the same kind of accents (this one Latino) comes off offensive. Just like in "The Birdcage." If Hank did Apu in a live-action stint it would be just as horrible.(NOTE: at some point in the film, Billy Crystal talks to Seth Green about "Breakfast at Tiffany's" being this great Hollywood film. So a part of me is wondering if Azaria's part is some homage to the awful Chinese stereotype by Mickey Rooney. Oh yeah, THAT'S HILARIOUS.)

No, I am not some film snob. I love cheesy Hollywood hokum. I enjoyed the Steve Martin's version of "Father of the Bride" with Martin Short's character.

I will agree about the mood of the audience though. They loved it. (sigh.)

Is there any good stuff?

Sure, Christopher Walken is pretty funny as a kind of Kubrick-type recluse who's the director of the hot couple (i.e. Tom & Nicole) Also the film that Walken turns in at the end is pretty funny.

So, I guess any stuff pertaining to Walken is funny.

pAjAmO

I hope you post this because there is a vote (two actually) out there to say NO! to this drivel.