User reviews

It's light and it's fun, with a bit of drama. Not sure what else people expect from a romantic comedy.

I just don't get the bad and nasty reviews on here. We saw the movie last night and thought it was very funny and cute. This is not a film to be taken seriously it is supposed to be farce and it was nice to unplug from the real world for two hours and just have some fun. Jamie Lee and Sigourney where great in their respective roles and the rest of the cast was good especially the young actor who played "Tim" he was great and the ending is funny. If your looking for some "I don't want to think for a while" time this is good afternoon flick to sit back, eat popcorn and watch. You may want to wait until the DVD comes out but this is not in anyway a bad movie. Considering the violent trash 3D overload crap Hollywood has been vomiting onto the screen this past year "You Again" was a breath of fresh air.

Sure You Again isn't Oscar-material, but I don't think it was intended to be. But if you watch it keeping in mind that is a light-hearted, fun summer comedy for the family, you will appreciate it, mainly because of the strong and hilarious female cast. Sigourney Weaver, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kristen Bell and Odette Yustman all shine on-screen in their own ways, yet complement each other so well. The chemistry of the cast contributes to the film's charm. I was especially impressed with Kristen Bell because this is the first comedy/chick-flick I've personally seen her in, and she was really cute and funny! She had a lot of charm, great comedic timing, and I kept thinking in my head how gorgeous she is all throughout the movie. She's a really versatile actress. The veterans, Sigourney, Jamie Lee, and Betty White were all hilarious as well. If you're looking for a fun, positive family film with lots of laughs, you've found your movie.

If nothing else, you have to like this for the high-powered cast that was put together. With well known stars such as Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver, Victor Garber and even Betty White you know there will be quality performances. The lead actress is the lesser known Kristen Bell (recently seen in Couples Retreat) and there are a number of cameos from the likes of Patrick Duffy and one who pops up for only a moment at the end who I guess I won't name since the cameo is uncredited and should probably come as a surprise. With those names, this couldn't be a disaster, and it wasn't.

The story has its moments. At times, it's actually very funny. Bell plays a former high school geek whose brother is suddenly getting married to the girl who made her teenage years a complete misery and whose wedding she decides she wants to break up. Meanwhile her mom (Curtis) discovers that the bride's aunt (Weaver) was someone she had a falling out with in high school. The unnamed cameo at the end is a continuation on the theme, with the mystery cameo being someone Betty White's character had a falling out with in high school, so these families have a 3 generation long feud to overcome to make this marriage work. To me, I thought most of the laughs occurred in two settings - when Curtis visits Weaver at her hotel and then at the rehearsal dinner. There are a lot of laughs in those scenes.

Unfortunately, although there are some good laughs in this, there aren't enough laughs in this. In fact, sometimes the movie gets downright heavy and far too serious; at times the characters seem to be truly hurtful to each other in a less than fun way, and the movie seems to forget that it's a comedy. It does have its moments. It just needed to have more.

(Synopsis) Marni (Kristen Bell), a new Vice President of a large Public Relations Agency, is returning home for her brother Will's (James Wolk) wedding. Marni discovers that his bride Joanna (Odette Yustman) is her former arch nemesis in high school who made her life a living hell. Joanna is now an angel in her brother's eyes, absolutely not the memories that Marni has of her tormentor. All of this is compounded by the fact that the bride's wealthy Aunt Romona (Sigourney Weaver) flies into town and comes face to face with Marni's mother Gail (Jamie Lee Curtis), who it turns out has an old high school score to settle with Gail. Marni must protect her brother by showing him Joanna's true colors before he makes the biggest mistake in his life. The claws are about to come out.

(My Comment) The movie itself is not that appealing as a romantic comedy, but it had a great female cast. The storyline is based on a small premise that what happens in high school lives with you forever which is absurd. Kristen Bell's performance as the pathetic pimply face girl with low self esteem, pressed into getting revenge, was right on target, and Odette Yustman as her rival was also good. I think the writers wasted the great talents of Sigourney Weaver and Jamie Lee Curtis. However, Betty White steals every scene she is in. Patrick Duffy and someone else (I won't say) make a cameo appearance. After about 45 minutes, the story was a little boring, but it picked up by the end. The lesson that is taught by this story is that you must learn from your past and everyone is entitled to a second chance, "maybe"? (Touchstone Pictures, Run Time 1:45, Rated PG)(4/10)

Marni (Kristen Bell) is a successful PR representative, who moved out to Los Angeles as a way to start fresh and forget her past. "You Again" opens with Marni telling a group of young PR interns the tale of her life as a nerd in high school. Like many of us, Marni didn't have a great time in high school because she was picked on and bullied especially by the lead cheerleader, Joanna (Odette Yustman). After Marni is done with her big speech at the PR firm, she boards a plane to head home to attend her brother Will's (James Wolk) wedding. Once home, Marni finds out that Will is marrying Joanna; the woman who made her life in high school a living hell. This is when Marni sets out to prove that Joanna is not this innocent good girl that she is pretending to be. To top all this off, Joanna's Aunt Romona (Sigourney Weaver) arrives that same evening only to find out that Marni's mother Gail (Jamie Lee Curtis) has a history with her as well. A funny, silly but ultimately clever film ensues...

Many reviewers are labeling "You Again" as 2010's "Bride Wars" and while I see a few similarities between the two films, "You Again" is a far superior film. I was actually perplexed by the amount of negative press this film received. While it is a far cry from an Oscar worthy, it was still a feel good film with a really funny story and interesting premise. "You Again" is a movie about a nerdy high school chick who is bullied by the head cheerleader only to find out years later that her brother is engaged to the woman who ruined four years of her life. A plot like that is ripe for comedy. Furthermore, the movie addresses the theme of confronting and overcoming high school rivalries; a topic I feel very few movies address.

One may argue that the film is too silly for it's own good. I would have to say that it's true especially towards the end but in all honesty its a Hollywood comedy. I would rather it be a bit too silly than a film loaded with sex gags as a filler. There are some really funny scenes in this movie too. I loved the whole car ride scene when Joanna plays "We are the Champions" and of course, the dance studio scene. I think sometimes watching actors act like teenagers are funny especially if you can understand where they are coming from. The reaction that Kristen Bell's character has when she sees Joanna again is priceless. Try to put yourself in these shoes...you are tortured in high school and get out hoping to never see that person again but find out they are marrying a family member. That's like a nightmare of epic portions. The thing I thought was even more humorous about the film was the fact they showed it happens to all generations, not just the younger. I think Jamie Lee Curtis's reaction to Weaver's entrance was equally priceless.

Kristen Bell is the highlight of the film. I always enjoyed her in these types of roles. I find her to be cute and lovable. She plays a good nerd in the beginning and I found it believable because it fits her as a person. Bell doesn't seem to have that mass appeal that say Reese Witherspoon has but I do enjoy her films and hope she continues to do films. I would say her character Marni is a bit similar to her character in "When in Rome," however here the character has more depth. It's a better written character with more of a background story.

As for the other actors, I felt Odette Yustman was just great and like Bell really fit her character. You can tell that she wasn't this innocent girl she pretended to be. She plays one hell of a mean girl that's for sure. I think she had great chemistry with Bell as enemies. As for Curtis, she's good in comedies and I loved her in this film. While she plays the mom role here watching her competing with Sigourney Weaver is a blast. I think everyone involved did a good job with their roles and did what the script requested of them. I should mention Bette White, who absolutely steals the scenes and has a hilarious scene at the films conclusion.

I really don't know what all the reviewers were complaining about with "You Again." I thought the premise was fairly unique and the overall film was fun and full of fluff. The movie was really funny at times even though it used the typical clichés that comedies nowadays tend to use. This is a movie where you just sit back and enjoy a few good laughs. I know as a male, I didn't mind watching this film and felt that it wasn't like the typical chick flick. The ending was rather typical and overly clichéd but than again that's not surprising coming out of Hollywood.

All in all,"You Again" is an enjoyable comedy that I wouldn't mind having to watch again. Everyone involved did a great job especially Bell who steals the show and wins the audience over within the first 10 minutes of the film. Just remember people, this is a silly comedy and not a comedic masterpiece. No one should be expecting an Oscar worthy film and if you can get past that you should be able to enjoy to this. I personally think a lot of people have enjoyed this film despite what the critics say because can relate to one of the characters in one way or another. It's an cute and enjoyable flick and I recommend those looking for a wholesome laugh to check it out.

MovieManMenzel's final rating for "You Again" is a 7 out of 10.

Being a guy, I always wonder, with these slapstick comedies that revolve around women with a wedding as a backdrop, do grown women over the age of 25 really become THIS immature? In "Bride Wars", you see two very attractive women pulling childish pranks on one another in preparation for their respective weddings, and somehow some women went to see that movie in droves. "You Again" received a spanking from major critics, most of whom were male, but actually turned in a profit at the box office.

I'm still really curious to know what women think when they see two women in their 20's pulling mean, callow tricks on each other, then seeing two other women in their 50's, who are attractive for their age I might add, trying to one-up each other while taking dance lessons in preparation for a wedding. Can real life women actually relate to these women on screen? Do they think their antics are funny?

Speaking as a man (whether or not that's important is up to you, the reader), I found these shenanigans ranging from cat fights to forced slapstick comedy neither amusing nor believable. If I saw my Mom acting the way either Jamie Lee Curtis or Sigourney Weaver do on screen, I would get angry, and quick.

But I digress. This movie starts out on a good note showing Marni Olsen (Kristen Bell) in high school with glasses, braces, and a bad case of acne. Although the nerd stereotype is a bit overdone here, somehow Bell succeeds in being unglamorous to the point where we, the audience, feel for her.

Her main tormentor is popular cheerleader J.J. (Odette Yustman), who is smoking hot, but effectively easy to dislike. However, the first mean prank you see pulled on Marni is her being crowd-surfed out of school by a group of jocks, including that mean cheerleader. Marni seems to be angry at J.J. and only J.J., somehow forgetting that she wasn't the only one in the crowd.

Fast forward less than a decade later, and Marni has lost the braces and glasses, is a successful P.R. executive, and looks as hot as she did in "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" (2008). Her post-high school transformation is one many people would envy, but none of that matters when she finds out that her older brother is about to marry J.J., who is now known as Joanne.

Marni's mother Gail (Jamie Lee Curtis) tries to convince Marni to put the past behind her. That is, of course, until it's revealed that Joanne's aunt is Ramona (Sigourney Weaver), a woman who used to be "best friends" with Gail in high school. However, you know that unresolved animosity brews underneath the facade of these two women when a flashback reveals Ramona pushing Gail into a pool. Why she did this, the movie never really explains.

The rest of the movie remains laugh-less as Kristen Bell seems to trip over herself and bang her head into several different people and objects, almost as if she's Curly from The Three Stooges. One scene shows her falling off a running path into a nest of red ants. Her love interest tries to help her, but their heads bump into one another. Nuk nuk nuk!

Of course, when Marni and Joanne trade blows, there is the inevitable catfight with dialogue so vapid and uninspired. When Joanne throws a dish at Marni, she replies, "Ooh, kitty likes to scratch!" I don't know what other movie I've heard that phrase in, but it's probably because it has been in at least six other films.

With such hackneyed verbal taunts comes a fight that fails to intrigue. Dishes get broken, Marni smashes a vase Joanne got as a gift that she claims is "so expensive" (yet looks like one you could get for $2 at Goodwill), and Joanne dumps some sort of soup over Marni's head. Are you laughing yet? You wonder what is wrong with these people, and why such hot women have maturity levels that make Zach Galifianakis look like Don Draper. Even worse, once the pratfalls come to a close, the movie tries to sugarcoat itself with messages of peace, love and reconciliation, and the rest of the movie is boring.

I thought Betty White would be the breath of fresh air in this movie. After all, she was hilarious as a "Saturday Night Live" host last year. Unfortunately, she has no really funny lines, and a really dumb gag involving false teeth. Kristen Chenowith is also equally wasted as a flamboyant Southern belle wedding planner who seems to be in the wrong movie. There are also a handful of subplots that go nowhere, and scenes completely irrelevant to the story that go on forever. The cheerleader's dance to Kris Kross's "Jump" is energetic, but belongs in another "Bring It On" sequel.

"You Again" is a great looking movie with likable actors in it. Unfortunately, the lead actresses are forced to act childishly, then mend their ways through fluffy speeches about family values, aided by background music borrowed from past episodes of "Full House". It could have been a memorable film, but somehow chose not to be and went the "My Best Friend's Wedding" route.

I don't like how this movie just made something simple out of a topic so severe like high school bullying. I suffered from this myself because I'm an Asian American and no, I could never forgive what that bully monster did. I also know that many who bullied in high school are NOT sorry at all.

I'm also disappointed at the protagonist's brother for being insensitive. Heck, I'm pretty sure I'd kick my fiancée to the curb if I found out what kind of monster she was.

The lone thing I liked about this movie was the performance by Hall & Oates at the end.

Skip this turkey.

Marni (Kristen Bell), like many of the rest of us, had a tough time in high school. Among her chief tormentors was JJ (Odette Yustman), the captain of the cheerleading squad and all around snob. But Marni bucks up and uses the bullying she experienced as a goad toward achievement after graduation. Whatever her motivations, Marni's achievements can't be questioned: She's named a vice president of her public relations firm just before she heads home for her older brother's wedding.

Marni and her brother Will (Jimmy Wolk) have always been close, and she's both devastated and furious when she discovers the bride-to-be is none other than her high school nemesis who now answers to the name Joanna. Marni's mother (Jamie Lee Curtis) is sympathetic, but tells Marni that high school is in the past and she needs to move on. That advice comes easily to Gail until she discovers Joanna's Aunt Ramona (Sigourney Weaver) is her own high school nemesis.

Despite the happy occasion that has gathered the family together, Marni is less than thrilled. After all, JJ wasn't the best of persons in high school, and Marni can't imagine she's changed much! After an awkward reunion and family dinner, Marni and her younger brother Ben decide to do what they can to derail the nuptials.

Kristen Bell is a very pretty girl, and it couldn't have been easy to transform her into the unattractive high school geek that Marni was supposed to have been. Yet make-up artists and Bell's adoption of some less than pretty tics make you believe in the earlier version of Marni. Odette Yustman also does a good job as the pretty, popular girl whose mission in life is to make Marni miserable. Some of the movie's best moments come, though, as the result of the past and present rivalry between Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney Weaver. I'd be very surprised if the two of them had less than a ball doing their scenes together because it certainly shows on screen that way.

The story itself is relatively predictable, and the direction, while competent, is nothing special. The script is marred by moments of melodrama that undermine the otherwise marginal believability of the story, and though the actors handle their lines well, even genuine talent isn't enough to overcome some of the things they must say and do. In particular, poor Kristen Chenoweth in a role as the wedding planner—an actress I consider a truly brilliant talent—is stuck in a role where the caricature overwhelms even her formidable abilities. While Betty White (who portrays Marni's Grandma Bunny) is also silly, she, at least, gets away with it.

BOTTOM LINE: You Again is often diverting, and has enough elements of realism in it to make you recall your own high school days (for good or for ill), but it doesn't overcome the limitations imposed on it by its script, or a story that we've all frankly heard before. I was moderately entertained and mildly amused in the theatre, but when the movie was played out, I was less than fulfilled. ADDENDUM: Stay for the credits. Trust me.

POLITICAL NOTES: None.

FAMILY SUITABILITY: You Again is rated PG for "brief mild language and rude behavior." Produced by Touchstone (a Disney-owned company), the largely family-friendly fare is no real surprise. While I wouldn't recommend You Again for really young children (it's not going to hold their interest nor will they understand some of the complications that ensue from various and sundry misunderstandings or manipulations), most parents should have no problem with their tweens or teens buying a ticket.

Imagine your worst enemy who had tormented you for at least four years, on the verge of becoming an in-law family member through a marriage. You Again is a comedy that explores just that, where Kristin Bell's Marni, who had spent her entire high school life under the bullying radar of Joanna (Odette Yustman, last seen here in films like Unborn and Cloverfield), realizes her one time nemesis is poised to become her sister-in-law. So the question now is, do you intervene at this juncture to throw the wedding off by telling everyone what a mean person she is, or do you adopt the forgive and forget approach?

As humans, the latter is always a challenge, and the former opportunity just too great to pass up, now being in the position to memorably derail someone else's marriage plans, even if it means having to unintentionally hurt one's family member (Marni's brother Will, played by James Wolk) as a collateral. It's revenge of the nerd, bitchy cat-fight style, made worse when one doesn't acknowledge the past in the hopes of starting a relationship afresh, which is not what the other party would desire, setting up a series of sequences that are played out for laughs, even though they are as predictable as they come in making life miserable for others.

But it's the idea and the thought behind the film that seems a little bit more interesting, as it's really quite relatable since in life we do step on the toes of others, as do others on ours as well. It's what you do with being emotionally terrorized that matters, and the best effect is to turn that into positive energy to transform oneself for the better, rather than to keep on regretting and wanting to right the wrongs, but not sure how to go about doing so. The advice of course is to champion oneself to be better rather than to focus on destroying the other party and before you know it, you become what and who you despise.

The highlight of the show turned out to be the veterans who demonstrate that age is no factor when it comes to having fun. The likes of Betty White, Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney Weaver lend gravitas to the young adult leads of Bell and Yustman, and I wonder if the careers of the latter will be as promising to live up to that of the former few. Of note is the pairing and rivalry of Jamie Lee Curtis' Gail, Marni's mum, and Sigourney Weaver's Ramona, Joanna's aunt, that states the inter-family rivalry goes beyond one generation, and in true Romeo and Juliet fashion, the coming together of two families bring on some complications which provide an avenue for comedy as each pair want to go one up against the other.

Director Andy Fickman, who has helmed a series of family friendly films for Disney such as The Game Plan and Race to Witch Mountain, continues his services here for Disney and I suppose his being chummy with Dwayne The Rock Johnson meant the one time wrestler has got to appear somewhere in the film, even as a cameo, and cranks up a surprise appearance of a singing duo toward the end which by Hollywood standards is what's expected of a romantic comedy.

"You Again" was somewhat of a nice surprise. I had expected it to be a mediocre comedy, but it turned out to be quite nice.

The story told in the movie is very captivating and you easily get yourself immersed into the situation, the characters and the story itself. The story is quite funny as well, you have Marni, who was bullied by Joanna during high school, and now years later, Joanna is about to marry Marni's brother, Will. Apparently Joanna doesn't remember Marni from school, but then things take a drastic change and things escalate...

The people acting in "You Again" were doing a good job, and they had managed to put together a really nice ensemble of people to fill out the roles. Kristen Bell, playing Marni, was doing a really good job in the movie. But of course, actresses like Sigourney Weaver and Jamie Lee Curtis also always do a nice job, and they were great in their roles. Furthermore, there were some other nice names on the list, such as Betty White, Victor Garber, and so on.

Throughout the movie, as the story progressed, there were more and more hilarious scenes, and they worked well. The movie had enough comedy and drama in it to be interesting, not really falling into a teenage comedy genre, which I had expected it to be.

"You Again" is a good choice if you are in for an evening with funny movies, because it is not just a comedy movie, it also has a deeper and nice storyline, not just intending to make you laugh.

You Again is a very basic cliché concept but is still played out well. It tells a great story with great actors and actresses. Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney Weaver did a wonderful job at playing their parts. The thing I didn't understand was how it seemed Marni (Kristen Bell) was in the wrong for trying to reveal Joanna's (Odette Yustman) true identity. The whole movie Joanna tried to play it like nothing ever happened and then she ended up becoming that same bully again. I thought that was just cruel. Marni deserved that apology right from the start. Overall, I enjoyed it and would watch it again.

The 28 average meta score is a little bit harsh isn't it? It's really not that bad. Okay, the story is a big cliché one about mean girl Joanna and her nerdy victim Marni, and how it all unfolds into Joanna marrying Marni's brother many years later and Marni trying to stop them, but it is rather entertaining. It is funny, but not all the time. Some parts can be cringy tho. But the credits go to the cast, which really makes up for the bland writing.

Before I forget, I must say some parts of this are written so well (and I mostly mean the dialog) that I was a bit distracted trying to figure out what kind of person would be able to write something so letter perfect. That said the real joy of this movie for me were the two leads, Kristen Bell and Odette Yustman. This is near perfect casting followed by near perfect performances. (My wife points out that the rest of the casting and acting was none too shabby either.) Bell will conjure up images of similar high school disasters from your own high school days. Ditto Yustman who nails the pretty but nasty she-bully to the point that I wonder if she drew it from real life. These two are worth the price of admission and though the movie falters a bit when it isn't about them, it's well within the realm of a well done light comedy, so why all the low appraisals, I really don't know. Go see this and be ready for an enjoyable ride.

FIrstly on a positive note it is good to see the lovely ladies. Sigourney has a role that's actually suited to her - she hasn't really done this kind of high powered woman since "Working Girl". Jamie is a bit frightful looking but she always was a bit old looking for her age. Betty White has a small role. The leads are likable and attractive. Kristen Bell is good as the central tormented girl - she's quite versatile. Odette Yustman is quite foxy as the mean girl. She is a both attractive and good actress better than her lookalike Megan Fox. James Wolk is good as the clueless object of her affections. Victor Garber is a bit out of place. The main problem is the dialog isn't well written. The words aren't witty or clever and quite cringe inducing. The painful scenes are dragged out and there is more unpleasantness than comedy. In fact the funny moments are few and far between for a comedy. Even a food cast can't keep it from being boring from about half way on. Watch it if you like any of the leads but prepared to be disappointed.

In Los Angeles, the PR Marni Olivia Olsen (Kristen Bell) is promoted to VP of the RMK Investment office in New York. She travels first to her hometown to the wedding of her big brother Will (Jimmy Wolk) with his fiancée Joanna (Odette Yustman). On the flight, Marni freaks out when she learns that Joanna is her arch nemesis JJ, who has bullied her in the Ridgefield High School.

Marni discovers that her family loves Joanna, and when she meets her, she wants Joanna to apologize for the humiliations she was submitted in the high-school. But Joanna pretends that she has not recognized Marni and promises a fresh start to them. Meanwhile Joanna's aunt Ramona (Sigourney Weaver) arrives for the wedding and Marni's mother Gail Byer (Jamie Lee Curtis) recognizes her as her high-school former friend that has become her enemy.

The resented Marni seeks revenge and decides to expose the past of Joanna to Will to protect her brother and force him to call off his wedding while Gail begins a personal dispute with Ramona.

"You Again" is a movie with a contradictory lead character but a pleasant conclusion. Marni is a loser in high-school and a vengeful woman, and it is hard to like her. Further, how could a woman with a clumsy and imbecile behavior is promoted to VP of a company? No matter how traumatic might have been her life in high-school, it does not justify her jealousy and immature behavior of woman promoted to an executive position, and she does not walk the way she talks in her initial speech.

Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney Weaver perform strong characters and their competition is funny. And the character of the gorgeous Odette Yustman is not the villain of the story in the end. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Você de Novo" ("You Again")

This movie was painful to watch. Great cast, but everything else was abysmal. I was looking forward to a light-hearted family movie to watch, but this wasn't it. In fact, this movie didn't get so much as a chuckle out of me. It's a shame really, considering I really like the members of the cast. And, I wasn't expecting much, but the humour and events in this movie were just insultingly bad. Still, I sat through it, hoping it would change direction. The story isn't the real problem either, albeit nothing special and pretty generic, they could have made it work, but it just didn't develop. There isn't a character to love or hate either, I wanted to sympathize with the sister, but she gave me no real reason to. The bride / high school bully character didn't develop either, the movie was over and I still didn't have an opinion of her. Overall, just a really bad movie.