This film is not what you would call a cinematic gem, but its not too bad either. Andrew McCarthy is a doll house maker who constantly falls in love with magazine cover girls, but is that what he is really looking for? The locations in this film are really beautiful, and McCarthy and Hunt do a good job of acting out their specified characters. Kelly Prestons gold digging bimbo is a really annoying character, but she was very suitable in the part. Its quite a pleasant 80 minute journey, and it delivers exactly what you would expect from the brief summaries given of the film. Unfortunately it is such a cliche in parts that you already know what will be said before its delivered. Also the characters were a bit dull, especially in the end scene, although that would be more the fault of the script writers than the actors. As romantic comedies go, its average at best.
11 Reviews
Obvious and predictable.
gridoon23 February 2001
Sweet Helen Hunt is better for bland Andrew McCarthy than sexy-but-bitchy and thoughtless Kelly Preston, but it takes him the entire movie to figure that out. This painfully predictable comedy tries to delay the inevitable by coming up with a series of forced scenes and situations, and it's also visually dreary, despite the potentially majestic locations. I think Hunt is the best thing in the picture. (*1/2)
Typical, Sub-par Chick Flick
jlorah26 February 2007
This movie was just good enough for me to finish (and not turn off halfway through). On the positive side, it had all the elements that one would expect (and possibly enjoy) in any romantic comedy. In addition, Helen Hunt did a spectacular job in a quite average role with her acting basically providing the highlight of the movie. However, the film lacked good characterization and character believability. Clifford is forced to choose between the dumb blonde but beautiful Amanda, and the perfectly balanced and pleasant Clare. As it becomes overwhelmingly obvious that Amanda is just a complete flake, it becomes less believable that Clifford has truly failed to realize this fact and that he will continue to adore her without acknowledging her flaws. In addition, Amanda's character is so over the top, one wonders if she is anything more than a stereotype, even in the eyes of the author. And if so, how are we expected to believe that Clifford will time and again return to her? I was additionally disappointed with the setting - an anonymous Caribbean resort that could have been beautiful, but instead struck me as simply washed out. There are many superior romantic comedies you could watch, with the same basic plot, but better acting, settings, and characterization. I would recommend skipping this one, unless you are a huge Helen Hunt fan, an unashamed chick flick aficionado, or just simply don't care about good quality characterization.
weak rom-com
SnoopyStyle29 April 2015
Clifford Godfrey (Andrew McCarthy) designs doll house accessories in Chicago. His girlfriend dumps him right before Christmas. He has two non-refundable tickets and nobody to go with. He's drinking alone in a bar when Amanda Hughes (Kelly Preston) stumbles into his life. They spend the night together but she doesn't remember it especially traveling to another country. Clare Enfield (Helen Hunt) is also at the resort taking pictures for a brochure.
Cliff and Amanda are pretty annoying characters. Andrew McCarthy is still trying to live off of his boyish charms but this character is too much for him to overcome. At least, Amanda is suppose to be the flighty self-obsessed high maintenance girl. Helen Hunt is sweet and adorable. This is a weak rom-com with very limited comedy. This is not a good showcase for Betty Thomas' directorial debut. The movie could have been saved with a more compelling Cliff but he's pretty pathetic here. Amanda doesn't actually have to work very hard to wrap him around her little finger.
Cliff and Amanda are pretty annoying characters. Andrew McCarthy is still trying to live off of his boyish charms but this character is too much for him to overcome. At least, Amanda is suppose to be the flighty self-obsessed high maintenance girl. Helen Hunt is sweet and adorable. This is a weak rom-com with very limited comedy. This is not a good showcase for Betty Thomas' directorial debut. The movie could have been saved with a more compelling Cliff but he's pretty pathetic here. Amanda doesn't actually have to work very hard to wrap him around her little finger.
All the standard trappings of a light romantic comedy. (spoilers)
vertigo_146 March 2007
The problem with 'Only You' isn't so much that this low-budget fare is structured upon ever romantic comedy cliché you can think of. Andrew McCarthy plays the misguided fool who is torn between the insincere bimbo (Kelly Preston) that he spends the Christmas holiday at a tropical resort after being dumped and in a drunken haze, travels there with his new companion. The clerk at the travel agency (Helen Hunt) who wouldn't give him a refund for his trip earlier in the evening coincidentally shows up there too, on a freelance photography gig (seriously, these people must be traveling on supersonic rockets to get from Chicago to the beachside resort so quickly). And of course, the gold-digging bimbo treats him like crap and he slowly starts to realize that perhaps, the real girl for him, is the genuine travel agent/photographer he spends a lot of time with on his vacation when the bimbo is constantly hanging out somewhere with more manly men who swoon her. And yada, yada, yada... the foolish protagonist must make up his mind about what kind of lady he wants, and well... it's not only typical to romantic comedy plots, it's typical Andrew Mccarthy.
Granted the movie does offer at least a few laughs, but the movie would've been much more believable had all of this not happened in the course of about ten days. True, McCarthy's character was impulsive, but it didn't seem to square that Helen Hunt's character was, too. But of course, this is a movie. And not even a really good one, either.
Granted the movie does offer at least a few laughs, but the movie would've been much more believable had all of this not happened in the course of about ten days. True, McCarthy's character was impulsive, but it didn't seem to square that Helen Hunt's character was, too. But of course, this is a movie. And not even a really good one, either.
I got through this film, so it isn't totally bad.
AnnPanders9 June 2021
Warning: Spoilers
I watched this a few months ago and let it settle in. As a whole the movie is watchable. A basic rom/com, nice Caribbean setting, pretty actors. Not insanely stupid. But.....
I just could BARELY tolerate Andrew McCarthy. He's still trying to be the clueless and vulnerable guy like he started off in Class with Rob Lowe (love that movie). But now he's grown up, and is just TOO p-whipped and weak and annoying. He funnily finds himself in a resort with a gorgeous Kelly Preston who just uses him over and over and over and over (and over) again, and he STILL keeps wagging his tail optimistically whenever she's in his sight. When I first saw this back in 92, I was 20, and Kelly Preston annoyed me to no end. But now 30 years later, it is Andrew McCarthy that made this film almost impossible to get through. Sure, Kelly is a dizzy, impulsive, gold-digging user. But the way I see it, is that Andrew deserved everything he got. And then throw in Helen Hunt, who is the smart, stable, mature, and stable one. I related more to Helen of all the characters, and yet could see myself as a Kelly too just to be obnoxious and use someone because they are soooo stupid and deserve it. I just could NOT see myself as Andrew. I didn't want him to end up with Helen at all, she was much too good for him.
Anyway, I realized I didn't hate the movie. I only hated Andrew McCarthy's character in it. It's okay to watch if nothing else is on. Kelly and Helen look great. So, not awful, but you might get really annoyed a lot in this movie.
I just could BARELY tolerate Andrew McCarthy. He's still trying to be the clueless and vulnerable guy like he started off in Class with Rob Lowe (love that movie). But now he's grown up, and is just TOO p-whipped and weak and annoying. He funnily finds himself in a resort with a gorgeous Kelly Preston who just uses him over and over and over and over (and over) again, and he STILL keeps wagging his tail optimistically whenever she's in his sight. When I first saw this back in 92, I was 20, and Kelly Preston annoyed me to no end. But now 30 years later, it is Andrew McCarthy that made this film almost impossible to get through. Sure, Kelly is a dizzy, impulsive, gold-digging user. But the way I see it, is that Andrew deserved everything he got. And then throw in Helen Hunt, who is the smart, stable, mature, and stable one. I related more to Helen of all the characters, and yet could see myself as a Kelly too just to be obnoxious and use someone because they are soooo stupid and deserve it. I just could NOT see myself as Andrew. I didn't want him to end up with Helen at all, she was much too good for him.
Anyway, I realized I didn't hate the movie. I only hated Andrew McCarthy's character in it. It's okay to watch if nothing else is on. Kelly and Helen look great. So, not awful, but you might get really annoyed a lot in this movie.
well acted and a funny treatment of a serious issue
jukebox-212 March 2000
I like Andrew McCarthy, and he was excellent in this film. There's a lot of good laughs in the film although beneath the comedy is some very real-life tragic situations.
It's too bad that the selfish beautiful airhead (Kelly Preston)has to be blonde. Aren't they stereotyped enough already? Similarly, the predatory males are latin-blood.
Helen Hunt is excellent. The definitive scene where she falls in love is very well done, but with too much emphasis on the maternal.
Despite the ending being silly, I gave this a 7.
It's too bad that the selfish beautiful airhead (Kelly Preston)has to be blonde. Aren't they stereotyped enough already? Similarly, the predatory males are latin-blood.
Helen Hunt is excellent. The definitive scene where she falls in love is very well done, but with too much emphasis on the maternal.
Despite the ending being silly, I gave this a 7.
incredibly sweet
Spiffy-Tiffy26 November 1998
This is a great movie. Andrew McCarthy is a doll-house furniture designer who hasn't been having good luck with women lately. He finds an incredibly hot-looking woman in a bar and decides to fly her to paradise for Christmas. The next morning the woman, Kelly Preston, wakes up and doesn't remember anything due to being drunk. I don't want to spoil the movie but unexpected things happen and love blossoms in Only You. Andrew McCarthy is incredible, and Kelly Preston is superb. see it today.
It was sweet
s_nicole200422 July 2003
I thought the movie was pretty good. I hadn't seen it in a long time, so when I saw it on television the other day I was pleasantly surprised. True it was very predictable, but I still thought it was great. I love Andrew McCarthy and Helen Hunt.
Romantic and funny, great performances
NickRisch1 December 1999
A fine romantic comedy, well delivered by the gorgeous Kelly Preston, funny Andrew McCarthy and much-too-serious Helen Hunt. Unfortunately Helen Hunt is usually cast in a studious-serious type role, (As Good As It Gets) and her wide range of acting abilities are not shown. Still, a fine movie.
great movie about finding ur true love when u least expect to
adityaforever9 July 2000
wonderful wonderful movie.very clean & tender to the point of being apologetic. helen hunt fits the role of claire perfectly.kelly preston has done a good job of being a typical blond.a must watch for all those who like being drawn into a world of perfect harmonic chaos
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