Saccharine sweet, predictable, trite and over-acted

Rating: 3/10 (23 July 2005)

I really wanted to like this movie but I couldn't. The previews I first saw depicted the movie as a cute, finding-your-place-in-the-world-type movie even though Gere is nearing senior citizen status (he still looks handsome for an old dude).
I just rented it on DVD and I have to say that there are some kind of cute moments but overall, the movie is marred by J Lo's over-acting (can she make more than one facial expression? guess not with all that plastic surgery; she's had too much work done on her face; in some parts, she looks scary), predictable dialogue/scenes and cheesy lines. Some of the scenes are so predictable, one can easily guess what the actor will say next. And there are some very cheesy lines. I am a fan of Audrey Wells' work so I was disappointed that this movie did not live up to its cute premise and to her stellar reputation.
It's a movie that means well but tries too hard. The result? Scenes that feel fake and there really isn't anything anyone can do about the bad acting especially by J Lo. Schmaltzy is a good word that describes this movie and how it makes one feel. Obviously, there is a happy Hollywood ending.
I'd bet that ABC may have used this movie as inspiration for their hit show, Dancing with the Stars.