"Addicted to Love" is one of those films which probably owe their existence to someone in the movie industry noticing a catchy title, thinking it too good to waste on a mere song and then concocting a plot to fit it. "Pretty Woman" and "Sweet Home Alabama" are other examples which come to mind. Sam, a young astronomer, is devastated when his girlfriend Linda leaves him for another man. This is not an unusual situation, but Sam's reaction is perhaps an unusual one. He gives up his job and moves to New York where he sets up house in an abandoned building opposite the flat where Linda is now living with her new lover, a French chef named Anton. His plan is to keep them under constant observation and wait until they split up. Shortly afterwards, however, another person moves into the old building with a rather similar purpose in mind. She is Maggie, Anton's former fiancée until he dumped her for Linda. The difference between them is that Maggie has no intention of winning Anton back; she merely wants to get revenge on him and will do anything to ruin his life. (Or, as Robert Palmer might have put it,"Might as well face it, you're addicted to hate".) The two of them join forces to try and separate the couple but (as anyone familiar with the conventions of romantic comedy will have anticipated) start falling for each other.The film has some similarities with another from the late nineties about a man and a woman who join forces to seek revenge on their respective enemies, the British-made "The Revengers' Comedies", based on a stage play by Alan Ayckbourne. The difference is that "The Revengers' Comedies" was made as a full-on black comedy whereas "Addicted to Love" isn't sure what it wants to be. The basic idea is too screwed-up and creepy to work as a standard rom-com, but the overall tone is too light- hearted and insufficiently cynical for a black comedy. Part of the problem is the casting of Meg Ryan as Maggie. In 1997 Ryan was America's reigning official Girl Next Door, the sweet and wholesome heroine of several romantic comedies such as "Sleepless in Seattle" and "IQ". Even pretending to have an orgasm in a crowded restaurant, as she did in "When Harry Met Sally", did not shake her reputation, at least as far as her screen persona was concerned, of being something of a goody two shoes. Maggie really needed to be portrayed as a, vindictive, half- crazed avenger, the way Helena Bonham-Carter played Karen Knightly in "The Revengers' Comedies", but Meg's innocent niceness kept on breaking through at the most inappropriate moments. Matthew Broderick, too, seemed just a bit too much "Mr. Nice Guy" for a film like this. Kevin Thomas, the film critic of the Los Angeles Times, said that "It is exceedingly difficult to find what's funny in the calculated, obsessive, relentless destruction of Anton, especially when he proves to be the most likable and mature of all four of these people". I wouldn't agree that Anton is likable; in Tchéky Karyo's performance he comes across as arrogant, self-centred and narcissistic. (In other words, your typical average Frenchman as seen by Hollywood. Isn't there a French Anti- Defamation League to counter this sort of stereotyping?) I would, however, agree with Thomas that the revenge exacted upon Anton seems disproportionate to his offences. His main offence, after all, was to dump Maggie, and by the end of the film I was starting to think that he had done so not because he is a selfish bastard but because he had realised just how difficult she would be to live with. The ending seemed wrong as well. A final reunion between Sam and a repentant, chastened Linda might have seemed a bit sentimental, but at least there would have been some psychological and emotional logic to it. The ending we actually have, in which Sam (essentially a gentle soul, if a bit obsessive) ends up with Maggie (borderline fruitcake) makes no sense at all. Linda also seems to be punished beyond her deserts in that after she splits up with Anton she appears to be reunited with Sam only for him to leave her just as cruelly as she once left him. Kelly Preston, however, fades out of the film towards the end, so we never see what emotional effect this has on Linda. (I realised while watching this film that this was the first time I had ever seen Preston act, apart from her brief appearance in "Amazon Women on the Moon". Although she appears to have a fairly long filmography, I had previously only thought of her as Mrs. John Travolta). There are occasional amusing scenes, such as the one where Sam and Maggie release a horde of cockroaches in Anton's restaurant, or the one where Maggie's unworldly old grandmother relates what she believes is the plot of a soap opera she has heard on the radio, whereas what in fact she has been listening to is a massive argument between Linda and Anton, whose apartment has been bugged by her granddaughter. Overall, however, "Addicted to Love" just doesn't work, largely because the actors and director Griffin Dunne cannot decide whether to play it as a romantic comedy or as a black comedy. Might as well face it, I'm not addicted to this film. 4/10

This is one of the best romantic comedies I have seen in a long time. "Addicted to Love" is unusual, surprising, and - above all - very funny. The acting by all the four main characters is outstanding. I loved the movie because it has all the ingredients of a great romantic comedy with a cute couple and a long find-your-love story, but it adds to it some wit. This is a very fun movie to watch! The fantastic soundtrack makes the movie even better. I bought the soundtrack even before I had seen the movie because I liked listening to it so much in the Munich store where I found it. This truly is romantic comedy at its best. I just have to tell you that again! :-D

If only she could get her hands on some good material. But in her eagerness to break out of a stereotype she's picked some real losers.Today it's a long list.Here we have someone who's done an excellent job of acting appearing in a movie almost totally without charm. No, take that back: this is totally without charm.I can't describe what it feels like to suffer through this turkey. It's very painful as work Ryan has previously done has been so unbelievably good.Forget the supporting cast: without the diamond up to par and with a totally lacklustre idea for a movie, nothing else matters and nothing's going to help.Go rent When A Man, Harry/Sally, or Seattle instead.

Maybe it's not the BEST movie ever made, but it's quite a fun movie to watch. It's perfectly funny with the combination of Matthew Broderick's lovelorn character (wanting his true love back from the man that "stole" her) and the revenge-minded character of Meg Ryan (who has the majority of the great lines -- the movie is worth watching for her character alone). The dark, jaded edge puts this movie above your normal romantic comedy. Well acted by Matthew, Meg, and the always impressive Tcheky Karyo (one of the greatest actors around). Give this one a go, and more likely than not, it'll be one of those movies you want to watch every time it's on! Being that the DVD is available at a lower price (I think I got it for about $5.99), it's worth adding to your collection...a great one for rainy/snowy days.