I Hate Valentine's Day 2009

Ben Mankiewicz, At the Movies: Everyone who's ever seen a movie knows where this is headed... but getting there is breezy, fun, and most importantly, well-executed. Read more

Ben Kenigsberg, Time Out: Put it this way: Children who see this film at an impressionable age risk inhibiting their social growth. Read more

Nathan Rabin, AV Club: An unspeakable nadir in the career of its writer-director-star, My Big Fat Greek Wedding's Nia Vardalos. Read more

Robert Abele, Chicago Tribune: All I Hate Valentine's Day adds up to is an awkward, ritualized date between moviegoer and a still-learning triple hyphenate. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: A charmless rom-com about an exhaustingly vivacious florist. Read more

Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger: For I Hate Valentine's Day, Vardalos has chosen to direct. And that's a mistake that only compounds the ones in her screenplay. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: Given the inevitable response to this equally regrettable rom-com, she can expect to loathe Independence Day, too. Read more

Lou Lumenick, New York Post: What it lacks in laughs -- there are none -- it tries to make up for by ladling on stale cliches, such as Vardalos' two stereotypically gay assistants and a desperate younger female friend who stalks guys. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: The movie is set up as a valentine to Vardalos. She should try sending herself flowers. Read more

Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com: I Hate Valentine's Day is a horror show masquerading as a romantic comedy. Maybe Vardalos is just in the wrong line of work. Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: Nia Vardalos wrote, directed and stars in this clunky, unfunny and plodding mess. She doesn't write dialogue, she writes shtick. Her direction seems awkward and amateurish, her acting is more like mugging. Read more

Andrew Barker, Variety: A plodding mediocrity with an almost mercenary adherence to formula. Read more

Ella Taylor, Village Voice: Vardalos calls her film "the ultimate indie experiment," and if that's what is meant by ham-fisted pacing, writing, and acting, this is as ultimate and as indie as it gets. Read more