If there were potions like this, there would be millions of $ for it and against it, plus lots of lawsuits. The film works though.

The title of this flimsy little outing of a film from 1992 - LOVE POTION #9 - should give you an idea of where you're headed if you rent this movie: hackneyed story about two science geeks (Sandra Bullock and Tate Donovan) whose experimentation with a 'love potion' obtained from a gypsy (Anne Bancroft playing Anne Bancroft) has kick back effects which all end up in a love story of sorts.The reason for watching this little effort is to see one of Sandra Bullock's early forays into comedy (she actually started making things like this in 1987 but this film drew enough attention to get her into 'Speed' two years later, that famous launching pad for Bullock and Keanu Reeves). Aside from Bullock and Bancroft the remainder of the cast is forgettable as is the story...but it is a lot better than many of the similar flicks on the shelves right now. Grady Harp

"Love Potion No. 9" is the fantasy of every young boy, and I suspect a few young girls, although I have to guess on that one. I have never been a young girl, and I don't plan to start now! But take the premise, Paul (Tate Donovan) is more than a bit geeky and his dating life could be described on a very small piece of note paper. So his friends do what any good friends would do -- send him to Madame Ruth (Anne Bancroft in a nice small role) who has supernatural connections. The result? A love potion that makes it impossible for the opposite sex to resist him.However, for me more interesting was the rest of the movie, after Sandra Bullock's character, Diane Farrow, also gains access to the love potion. She creates a great character here, for a so-so little movie, as a real, unappealing geeky girl. A quick spray and the guys can't resist her. She and Paul do what any geeky scientists would do, they treat the whole thing as a big experiment, and "evaluating the results" has some interesting and funny consequences. While this is by no means a very good movie, it is interesting to me mainly as an earlier Bullock movie, before she gained more widespread attention in 'Speed' with Keanu Reeves.

Paul (Tate Donovan) is a single, somewhat nerdy, biochemist who strikes out with women at every opportunity. Diane (Sandra Bullock) is a geeky fellow scientist who is not a hit with the guys, either. Hoping to change his luck, Paul goes to a gypsy and acquires a potion that will make him attractive to women. It works quite well. That's when Paul discovers he's in love with Diane. Diane, however, is also making use of the potion and is suddenly surrounded by suitors. Will Paul win the affections of Diane?This is just a fair entry into the genre of romantic comedies. The two leads are likable but the plot is plodding in parts and detracts from the overall success of the film. Also, the movie has some funny moments but overall does not register high on the laugh-o-meter. The ending is predictable and somewhat satisfying yet just does not elicit great feelings of joy. Fans of Sandra Bullock will probably want to see this early example of her work. Others who are crazy about romantic comedies are likely to want to spend an evening with this film, too.