The Sweetest Thing Review

by Steve Rhodes (Steve DOT Rhodes AT InternetReviews DOT com)
April 10th, 2002
THE SWEETEST THING
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 2002 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): * 1/2

THE SWEETEST THING isn't. Christina Walters (Cameron Diaz), a RUNAWAY DATE, is a woman whose motto is, "Don't look for Mr. Right. Look for Mr. Right Now." The opening montage features a gaggle of guys whom she has dated once and dumped. Seeing her girlfriend Jane Burns (Selma Blair) reading a book titled "True Love: The Ten Commandments," Christina ridicules it by calling it, "relationship propaganda."

This might make it sound like THE SWEETEST THING has something on its mind, but it doesn't. Working from a weak and derivative script by Nancy Pimental ("South Park"), director Roger Kumble (CRUEL INTENTIONS) has trouble crafting many funny moments. Most of the movie is as dead as a blind date with a corpse.

Crude and silly, the movie tries to mine material that you've seen in many other gross-out comedies, from an exploding toilet to what-looks-to-be-but-isn't-really oral sex in a moving car. A movie that works hard at being crude, it is also a constant tease. One of the recurring gags involves women touching their own breasts as well as those of others. Although the movie's smut factor is high, everyone keeps their bra on.

The plot has Christina falling for a supposedly cute guy named Peter Donahue, played without any personality whatsoever by Thomas Jane. Christina's other girlfriend, Courtney Rockliffe (Christina Applegate), tries her best to get Christina and Peter together. The movie's only inspired scene occurs when Christina and Courtney ham it up in a dressing room, trying to recreate brief movie moments from films such as GREASE, DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN and FLASHDANCE.

Basically a THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY VERY LITE movie, THE SWEETEST THING is one of the longest 87 minutes you'll spend in the dark, staring at a screen. The movie isn't so much a bad picture as it is just a complete waste.

THE SWEETEST THING runs 1:27. It is rated R for "strong sexual content and language" and would be acceptable for older teenagers.

The film opens nationwide in the United States on Friday, April 12, 2002. In the Silicon Valley, it will be showing at the AMC and the Century theaters.
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