Cole treats his lovers -- and his audience -- like adults, and that makes this modern romantic comedy an affair to remember.
A Lot Like Love (2005)
Tomatometer
How does the Tomatometer work ![]()
Reviews Counted:121
Fresh:49
Rotten:72
Average Rating:4.9/10
Consensus: A tiresome rom-com.
Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins
Genre: Romance
Synopsis: From British director Nigel Cole, whose sweet-hearted comedies CALENDAR GIRLS and SAVING GRACE shared a similar combination of humor and true emotion, A LOT LIKE LOVE is the story of two friends... From British director Nigel Cole, whose sweet-hearted comedies CALENDAR GIRLS and SAVING GRACE shared a similar combination of humor and true emotion, A LOT LIKE LOVE is the story of two friends who seem destined to love each other--if they can ever realize that themselves. Meeting on a flight from Los Angeles to New York, naive Oliver (Ashton Kutcher) and tough Emily (Amanda Peet) have sex in an airplane lavatory before learning each other's names. Despite this intimate introduction, Emily is uninterested in getting to know the guy she just picked up, telling Oliver frankly that he's not her type. The two part ways, but end up running into each other hours later in what proves to be just the first of many semi-coincidental romantic encounters. After spending a fun day together in the city, Oliver gives Emily his home number and tells her to call him in 6 years, once he's gotten his life and career figured out. When an unforeseen breakup leaves Emily dateless for New Year's Eve a few years later, she calls Oliver and they meet again. In the years that have passed since their first meeting, Emily has taken up acting, Oliver has started an online diaper-selling business, and both have gotten more flattering haircuts. But Emily is disappointed to learn that Oliver is moving to San Francisco for business the next day. Over the course of a few years, Emily and Oliver grow to depend on each other in times of crisis, and develop a solid friendship. While each sporadic encounter contains an undeniable spark, the timing never seems to be right, with several bad relationships, career transitions, and location changes getting in the way. But will the pair realize their feelings for each other and get together before it's too late? [More]
Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Amanda Peet, Kal Penn, Ali Larter
Starring: Ashton Kutcher, Amanda Peet, Kal Penn, Ali Larter, Taryn Manning, Gabriel Mann, Jeremy Sisto
Director: Nigel Cole
Director: Nigel Cole
Screenwriter: Colin Patrick Lynch
Producer: Armyan Bernstein, Kevin J. Messick
Composer: Alex Wurman
Studio: Touchstone Pictures
Reviews for A Lot Like Love
A fairly enjoyable movie, but one to be appreciated apart from ways in which it was probably intended.
Oddly interesting, but not enough to pull the film through the last half hour as it looses steam and energy as it dwindles to its inevitable conclusion.
In what could be called “When Harry Met Sally for Adolescents” there is little romance or comedy in what, the filmmakers claim, is a romantic comedy.
Kutcher and Peet's goofy wooing is playful and makes "A Lot Like Love" more enjoyable than not
Earns points for resisting the usual corny romantic comedy gimmicks (I’m looking at you, The Wedding Date!) for most of its running time.
You get the feeling Ashton Kutcher is a busy man trying to cash in on his fame before Demi dumps him and he starts to lose his hair.
Love isn’t insulting, just blindingly tedious, achingly unfunny, and negligently directed.
A Lot Like Love is one of those romantic comedies that features characters so annoying that one hopes they break up and save the gene pool irreparable damage.
A Lot Like Love wants to be like When Harry Met Sally. . . when it grows up.
Though hardly memorable, it's a sweet enough effort that gives both Kutcher and leading lady Amanda Peet a rare chance to stretch beyond the facile posing, mugging and comedic zingers with which they've typically been saddled.
Nothing Whatsoever Like Love and By the Way, Nothing Whatsoever Like a Good Movie, Either.
We're supposed to feel that they're made for each other, in the When Harry Met Sally vein, but we never feel the chemistry.
A delightful surprise: Previews promoted the movie's juvenile laughs, but they omitted the sizzling, heartfelt relationship at the center of the story.
The movie is 95 minutes long, and neither character says a single memorable thing. You've heard of being too clever by half? Ollie and Emily are not clever enough by three-quarters.
Kutcher is surprisingly well cast as the awkward, somewhat dorky Oliver, and Peet is charming and charismatic without being cloying or artificial.
Latest News for A Lot Like Love
September 28, 2006:
Critical Consensus: 'Tis Not The "Season," "Guardian" Lacks Defenders, And "School" Flunks
This week at the movies, we've got jive talking woodland creatures ("Open Season," with Martin Lawrence and Ashton Kutcher). We've got a school for Coast Guard rescue... More...
April 25, 2005:
Penn & Kidman "Interpret" an Impressive Box Office Weekend
Not surprisingly, Sydney Pollack's "The Interpreter," starring Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn, took the #1 box office spot in its opening weekend. But while analysts... More...
April 21, 2005:
Critical Consensus: “Kung Fu Hustle” Best Reviewed Wide Release of the Year
It looks like a busy weekend at the movies this week, with four movies either opening wide or expanding into wide release. There’s something for everyone. For more mature... More...
April 18, 2005:
"Amityville" Scares Up a Solid Opening Weekend
Sure, sure, it was the only wide release to open this past weekend, so obviously "The Amityville Horror" was bound to hit the #1 spot. But what's pleasantly surprising... More...
More DVDs
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 15% 15% | The Ugly Truth |
| 98% 98% | Up |
| 36% 36% | G.I. Joe: The Rise of … |
| 52% 52% | The Taking of Pelham 1… |
| 45% 45% | Ice Age: Dawn of the D… |
| Tomatometer Percentage | Movie |
|---|---|
| 36% 36% | Angels & Demons |
| 68% 68% | Funny People |
| 25% 25% | Four Christmases |
| 45% 45% | Shorts |
What’s Hot On RT
Other News
Sponsored Links
Around The Network
- A Lot Like Love at Rotten Tomatoes
- A Lot Like Love at IGN
- A Lot Like Love at AskMen
Fresh Links
Featured

Subscribe to RT's YouTube channel and don't miss a second of our cracking video content.

Follow Rotten Tomatoes and join us as we tweet about the week's releases.



Top Critic

