Letters to Juliet 2010

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: The key to the film's success is its lack of strain. As written by Jose Rivera and Tim Sullivan, this isn't one of those pushy slapstick affairs; it's more romantic than comic, and despite the corn there are no villains. Read more

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: It's a movie of blandly pretty "establishing shots," Seyfried walking her lovely self across this piazza or that vineyard. Read more

James Rocchi, MSN Movies: ... while [Vanessa] Redgrave can't cut the cliches out of Letters to Juliet entirely, she at least cuts through them occasionally. Read more

Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal: Ms. Redgrave gives the film, which was directed by Gary Winick, a heart and a buoyant spirit. Seeing her in action is like sitting in on a master acting class. Read more

Ted Fry, Seattle Times: A blithely frivolous movie that glows with as much starry-eyed cliche and scenic splendor as it shudders with illogic and lack of common sense. Read more

Keith Phipps, AV Club: If well done, a film like Letters To Juliet should need no surprises. But it does need more than the postcard-ready vistas against which director Gary Winick frames much of the action. Read more

Kerry Lengel, Arizona Republic: Letters to Juliet is a guilty pleasure for the ladies, perfect Blu-ray fodder when their significant others turn them into World of Warcraft widows for the evening. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: You don't have to be 13 and a tapioca-brained romantic to enjoy Letters to Juliet. But it would help. Read more

Amy Nicholson, Boxoffice Magazine: Doesn't have a lick of cynicism -- it's as pure of heart as they come. A fine ideal, but it feels as flat as a pizza. Read more

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: Anyone who considers this a decent romance should check out Max Ophuls's "Letter From an Unknown Woman." Read more

Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor: Read more

Joy Tipping, Dallas Morning News: Cinematographer Marco Pontecorvo's sun-drenched palette would be a perfectly sound reason to see this film, but happily it's not the only one. Read more

Tom Long, Detroit News: An amusing, touching, reassuringly wholesome romantic travelogue of a film that flies by on its way to the inevitable happy ending. Read more

Lisa Schwarzbaum, Entertainment Weekly: Find me a flight to Verona! Read more

Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: A sugary paean to quixotic cliches and a film destined to be a guilty pleasure for some (me included, sigh) and the painful price of a relationship for others (so steel yourselves). Read more

Connie Ogle, Miami Herald: Its cast is remarkably strong for such simple fare. Cynics will mock it, but it's an undeniable crowd pleaser even if its resolution drags on too long. Read more

Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News: Redgrave brings a lovely gravity to the lightweight proceedings, while Seyfried again proves an unusually levelheaded presence. Read more

Kyle Smith, New York Post: The story is as straight and obvious as raw spaghetti. Read more

Rex Reed, New York Observer: There's nothing wrong with a squishy, sentimental romantic confection now and then. But Letters to Juliet is a mere lollipop. It's gone before its 101-minute running time expires, and you're left with the stick. Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: Redgrave! Slim and silvery as lightning, she is always a revelation. She accelerates the movie by slowing down to silent stillness in order fully to hear -- and carefully digest -- what others do and say. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: What's important is that it avoids the unfunny jokiness and juvenile tendencies that define too many romantic comedies while also sidestepping the mawkishness of the Nicolas Sparks-inspired dramas. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: I know the ending is preordained from the setup. I know the characters are broad and comforting stereotypes. In this case, I simply don't care. Sometimes we have personal reasons for responding to a film. Read more

Peter Travers, Rolling Stone: Redgrave is incandescent, and casting Franco Nero as Lorenzo was inspired. Read more

Mary Elizabeth Williams, Salon.com: Letters to Juliet is a by-the-numbers romantic comedy -- and I mean that in a good way. Read more

Amy Biancolli, San Francisco Chronicle: Not to be a cynic or anything, but maybe a fictional 13-year-old isn't the best source of advice for the lovelorn. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: This one burns going down, like cheap Chianti. Read more

Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: What light through yonder window breaks? 'Tis the fiery wrath of William Shakespeare, dragged back to this mortal coil to lend his cred to a dreadful chick flick. Read more

Stephen Cole, Globe and Mail: As you might guess, after a great deal of sniping Sophie and Charlie supposedly fall for each other. But the audience never buys it. Read more

Jason Anderson, Toronto Star: Letters to Juliet offers little to viewers besides many trite truisms about the ways of the heart, some sumptuous views of the Tuscan countryside and a lovely performance by Redgrave. Read more

Mary F. Pols, TIME Magazine: I'd take any woman in my life, ages 10 to 100, to Letters to Juliet and my guess is we'd both leave with a little Italian glow. Read more

Claudia Puig, USA Today: There are worse ways to spend a couple of hours. Set in some stunning locales in Italy, Letters is a guilty pleasure that's lighter on the guilt and heavier on the pleasure. Read more

Ronnie Scheib, Variety: Jose Rivera and Tim Sullivan's script relentlessly piles on goopy conversation-stoppers like "Do you believe in destiny?" and "I didn't know that true love had an expiration date." Read more

Karina Longworth, Village Voice: Gary Winick's flat direction does the material no favors: If Egan and Seyfried have any chemistry, it's framed out of their awkwardly staged climactic kisses. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: Save yourself 10 bucks, and an hour and 45 minutes of your precious time. Read more