Breakin' All the Rules 2004

John Monaghan, Detroit Free Press: In romantic comedy, it's all about the chemistry. Jamie Foxx and Gabrielle Union have just enough to make Breakin' All the Rules worth seeing. Read more

Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: The film's failure to adhere to one of the most important rules of humor -- never give extensive screen time to someone who is not the slightest bit funny -- prevents it from being a completely enjoyable, if silly, romp. Read more

Mark Caro, Chicago Tribune: The best screwball comedies seem to breathe helium, but this one never gets airborne. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: Like a too-precisely choreographed dance, it feels lifeless. Read more

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper: ... this is basically just a sitcom. Read more

Bob Townsend, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: A funny movie. Ha-ha funny sometimes, but more frequently amusing in a good-natured, make-you-smile way. Read more

Kathy Cano Murillo, Arizona Republic: The movie doesn't leave an endearing impression of romance. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: As date-night piffle goes ... it's thoroughly engaging. Read more

Houston Chronicle: Read more

Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly: The rules of good screenwriting are mostly broken, though Jamie Foxx's smash-and-grab charisma remains intact. Read more

Jennie Punter, Globe and Mail: Delivers the goods in formulaic fashion, but enjoys an edge thanks to a fast-paced story and, more importantly, the casting of Foxx as the romantic lead. Read more

Philip Wuntch, Dallas Morning News: It follows all the rules of comedic plot convention, with only an occasional ripple of surprise. Read more

John Patterson, L.A. Weekly: Yet another unfunny buppie sex comedy. Read more

Gene Seymour, Newsday: In their scenes together, Foxx and Chestnut trade sly one-liners like front-line horn players in an intimate jazz club, while Union is given her best showcase yet for her comedic timing. Read more

Lisa Rose, Newark Star-Ledger: For all the labyrinthine liaisons, the plot is as predictable as a rainforest weather forecast. There are, however, enough bright ideas and zippy lines to keep things on the fresh side. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: Packed with enough muddles and mixups to stock a French farce (or a middling UPN sitcom), Rules coasts amiably on without striking any real sparks. Read more

Stephen Holden, New York Times: Jamie Foxx floats gracefully through this screwball sex comedy with a cocked eyebrow and the playful smirk of an overgrown adolescent. Read more

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: Whatever might have been raunchy-cute has been edited out of it. It's a movie with a lot of very good-looking people trying to find something funny to say or do. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The movie depends for its success on the likability of Jamie Foxx, Morris Chestnut and Gabrielle Union, and because they're funny and pleasant, we enjoy the ride even though the destination is preordained. Read more

Carla Meyer, San Francisco Chronicle: Writer and director Daniel Taplitz piles on the convolutions in an overripe comedy of sitcom stock characters and bad jokes. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: The strain of sustaining its thin premise exhausts the film well before the final credits. Read more

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Read more

Susan Walker, Toronto Star: In many ways a throwback to the era of Doris Day and Jack Lemmon movies. Read more

Mike Clark, USA Today: If the movie were 10 minutes longer, the mix-ups might grind viewers down, but director Daniel Taplitz knows how to juggle the subplots he's given. Read more

Joe Leydon, Variety: A cleverly concocted hybrid of conventional romantic comedy and mistaken-identity farce. Read more

Joe McGovern, Village Voice: Crudely embraces reverse ethnic stereotypes. Read more

Ann Hornaday, Washington Post: A movie that sags and drags under the weight of poor pacing, execrable writing and largely unlikable characters, including a leading man viewers can never really warm up to. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: No movie this stupid should need a plot synopsis this complicated. Read more