America's Sweethearts

As purported showbiz satire, America's Sweethearts is pretty pallid. Ostensibly a comedy about a bitterly broken-up, superstar acting couple (John Cusack and Catherine Zeta-Jones) being forced back together as a promotional tool for their last film as man and wife, the potentially wicked plot gets co-opted by an apple-cheeked romance between a depressed Cusack (he was dumped for a greasy Spanish heartthrob) and Julia Roberts, the put-upon, personal-assistant sister of his spoiled, paranoid and egocentric ex-wife. In short, it's more Pretty Woman than The Player. While the love story is winsome enough--Roberts smiles busily while helping Cusack overcome his penchant for moping outside his ex's window in the rain (a Cusack cinematic habit), the two leads could do these roles in their sleep. As one of the targets for lambasting in this movie (the press, publicists, studio heads, self-absorbed actors, "genius" directors--all are in the crosshairs), I was hoping for surgical strike derision, but the industry insider comedy here is painted with such broad strokes that none of it feels like more than a gentle ribbing. Optional. (R. Blackwelder)