Just a Kiss (2002)

18% of critics liked it
(60 reviews)
37% of users liked it
(1,342 ratings)

They say the heart goes where it will, and six people find theirs following a very complicated road map with a seventh creating some unexpected detours in this dark romantic comedy. Dag (Ron Eldard) is a successful director of television commercials who shares his home with his beautiful girlfriend,… More They say the heart goes where it will, and six people find theirs following a very complicated road map with a seventh creating some unexpected detours in this dark romantic comedy. Dag (Ron Eldard) is a successful director of television commercials who shares his home with his beautiful girlfriend, Halley (Kyra Sedgwick). Dag, however, has a serious case of roving eye and is given to frequent flings with other women. Halley tries to turn a blind eye to Dag's infidelity, but when she discovers he had a one-night stand with Rebecca (Marley Shelton), a beautiful but troubled dancer who is dating Dag's close friend Peter (Patrick Breen), she decides things have gone too far. Halley gives Dag his walking papers and she soon makes the acquaintance of Andre (Taye Diggs), a very handsome and well-mannered classical musician. Andre, however, is married to Colleen (Sarita Choudhury), a woman with exotic sexual tastes who meets up with Peter, now suddenly without a girlfriend, on an airline flight. Meanwhile, Peter's very angry confrontation with Dag attracts the attention of Paula (Marisa Tomei), a mysterious but very sexy woman who has taken a decidedly carnal interest in Peter. However, as Paula makes her way through Peter's daisy-chained circle of friends, events begin taking a strange turn as her new acquaintances begin dropping like flies. Just a Kiss was the first feature film directed by actor-turned-filmmaker Fisher Stevens. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 29 min.
Directed By: Fisher Stevens
Written By: Patrick Breen
Genres: Comedy, Romance

In Theaters: Sep 27, 2002 Limited
On DVD: Mar 18, 2003
Studio: Paramount Classics

Critic Reviews

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer
What a mess.
Robert Denerstein, Denver Rocky Mountain News
Winds up feeling like lots of other quirky movies that try to score hipness points with young adults.
Joe Baltake, Sacramento Bee
A lousy movie that's not merely unwatchable, but also unlistenable.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
We have poignancy jostling against farce, thoughtful dialogue elbowed aside by one-liners, and a visual style that incorporates rotoscope animation for no apparent reason except, maybe, that it looks neat.
Tom Sime, Dallas Morning News
Overembellished to distraction.
Robert K. Elder, Chicago Tribune
For the most part Stevens glides through on some solid performances and witty dialogue.
Michael Dequina, TheMovieReport.com
The cast is appealing but often looks lost, stranded between all of the conflicting directions.
Rachel Sanders, Apollo Guide
Most of the actors struggle with the clunky dialogue and often look almost as uncomfortable delivering it as you'll feel sitting there watching them do so.
Gary Thompson, Philadelphia Daily News
A near-laughless comedy.
Jim Lane, Sacramento News & Review
Breen's script has deadpan wit, though it becomes a little labored as it goes along.
Steve Schneider, Orlando Weekly
Can't get enough of libidinous young city dwellers? Try this obscenely bad dark comedy, so crass that it makes Edward Burns' Sidewalks of New York look like Oscar Wilde.
Karina Montgomery, Cinerina
Occasionally amateurishly made but a winsome cast and nice dialogue keeps it going.
Jeff Vice, Deseret News, Salt Lake City
The rather unlikable, unsympathetic characters make what is less than 90 minutes seem much, much longer.
Sean Means, Salt Lake Tribune
An imponderably stilted and self-consciously arty movie.

Read all 14 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Red L

I didn't like it. I tried watching it but it just did not flow and even the weather channel was more interesting.
Leo L

Great movie by Fisher Stevens\! Good story plot- it follows the crazy antics of one person who knows right from wrong but easily submits to temptation. Great cast! Worth seeing.