America's Sweetheart (12)

FANCY a laugh? There are plenty on offer in America's Sweethearts. No real side-splitters, but a steady flow of out-loud titters.

Written by, co-produced and co-starring Billy Crystal, who shows there is plenty of mileage in his time-honoured cheeky schtick, it's a feel-good movie that manages to have a laugh at Hollywood, the media and people who have to wear suits to make the rest of us feel so much better about our lot.

Eddie Thomas (John Cusack) and Gwen Harrison (Catherine Zeta-Jones) are a Hollywood hot couple.

Except they're not. A couple, that is. The public loves them together, but since Gwen shacked up with a hot-headed Spanish actor called Hector (Hank Azaria), neither can get a hit movie.

In fact, Eddie is under a restraining order (not to mention a Gucci-clad guru) in an effort to keep him straight.

There is one last hope.

Arrogant studio boss Dave Kingman (Stanley Tucci) hires veteran publicist Lee Phillips (Crystal) to organise a press junket with Eddie and Gwen to promote their new movie directed by maverick helmsman Hal Weidman (Christopher Walken).

Marooned in a luxury desert resort awaiting the arrival of the movie, the players get embroiled in a well-constructed farce that involves Gwen putting on her servant-sister Kiki (Julia Roberts) who, having shed 60 pounds, looks mighty fine to Eddie, who is trying not to get angry about Hector, who wants everyone to know how well endowed he is.

Meanwhile, Lee is on fire, making sure every scene is played out in front of the world's press who, hopefully, won't notice they haven't seen the film yet.

In truth, there's nothing we haven't seen done a hundred times before.

There have been better farces, better Hollywood satires, better feelgood movies, better performances from an admittedly impressive ensemble, but the familiarity of America's Sweethearts is its strength.

You wrap yourself in it and you feel warm again. Like an old sweatshirt. Don't knock it.