Love Don't Cost a Thing (2003)

13% of critics liked it
(72 reviews)
69% of users liked it
(46,920 ratings)

The sophomore outing for writer/director/actress Troy Beyer, Love Don't Cost a Thing is a romantic teen comedy based on the screenplay for the 1987 Partick Dempsey film Can't Buy Me Love. Nick Cannon stars as Alvin, a brilliant but awkward teenager -- and budding engineer -- who seizes a golden… More The sophomore outing for writer/director/actress Troy Beyer, Love Don't Cost a Thing is a romantic teen comedy based on the screenplay for the 1987 Partick Dempsey film Can't Buy Me Love. Nick Cannon stars as Alvin, a brilliant but awkward teenager -- and budding engineer -- who seizes a golden opportunity when popular cheerleader Paris (Christina Milian) wrecks her parents' SUV and is strapped for cash. They strike an agreement: Alvin will do the repairs for free if Paris pretend to be his girlfriend for two weeks, all in the hopes of elevating his social standing. Little does he know, being popular isn't all its cracked up to be. Kal Penn and Steve Harvey co-star. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: PG-13, 1 hr. 40 min.
Directed By: Troy Beyer
Written By: Troy Beyer, Michael Swerdlick
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Dec 12, 2003 Wide
On DVD: Apr 27, 2004
Studio: Warner Bros.

Critic Reviews

Robert Koehler, Variety
Stuffed with attitude but just as hackneyed as the original.
Laura Sinagra, Village Voice
Since Cannon and Milian have to squash any frisson to avoid sinking into pure escort-service sleaze, there's not much rom in the rom-com.
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
... dopey sit com stuff ...
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
It has better values than the original, a little more poignancy, some sweetness.
Stephen Hunter, Washington Post
This variation certainly makes its points effectively, in what must be a more superheated milieu.
Susan Walker, Toronto Star
A movie as forgettable as the original.
Nell Minow, Common Sense Media
Missed opportunity full of dubious messages.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
"Love Don't Cost A Thing" is loosely based on the 1987 teen comedy "Can't Buy Me Love," and fails to improve on that tepid movie by using a milieu of black high school students.
Mark Collette, Tyler Morning Telegraph (Texas)
High school films don't have to be dull or juvenile; this one suffers tremendously from the former.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
Love Don't Cost a Thing, but this DVD do. Does. And it ain't worth it.
John J. Puccio, Movie Metropolis
...the movie borders on cruelty to its audience.
Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine
Since ABC never really pandered to urban crows, now little kids in the hood can have their own After School Special to make them vomit.
Mark Palermo, Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
It isn't entertaining enough to get away with its minimal contributions to familiar material.
Michael Szymanski, Zap2it.com
If you tried to be in the "in" crowd -- then this is going to be even more painful. In fact, even if you're in the "in" crowd, you'll find this painful.
Daniel M. Kimmel, Worcester Telegram & Gazette
[I]t's hard to see any crying need to remake a film that was tacky the last time around, or to make this the black teen - excuse me, "urban" - film of the season.
Jeffrey Westhoff, Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)
If you remake a mediocre movie, you get another mediocre movie.
Tony Toscano, Talking Pictures (U.S.)
Rent the original instead.

Read all 17 critic reviews

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Featured Audience Ratings

Dead A

This story is about "wanna-be" of a boy and the same old ending that fakers never win or fit in to whatever they wish for. This was okay.
Miriam K

This was actually a good movie of its genre...Come on, its a teen movie and what actually do you expect? Pretty good stuff. Have a look at more of Nick Cannons films,(Drum line/Bobbie) hes pretty good.
Haley A

Too bad this movie did.

Cast

            Nick Cannon as Alvin Johnson

            Christina Milian as Paris Morgan

            Kenan Thompson as Walter Colley

            Kal Penn as Kenneth Warman

            Steve Harvey as Clarence Johnson

            Vanessa Bell Calloway as Vivian Johnson

            Dante Basco as Spoken Word Artist

            Damon Butler as Martial Arts Mambo Instructor

            Peter Siragusa as Ben

            Maria Carmen as Chemistry Teacher

            Imani Parks as Mia

            Russell Howard as Anthony

            Ashley Monique Clark as Aretha Johnson

            Al Thompson as Ted

            Ralph Scherer as Poetry Reader

            Nichole Robinson as Yvonne Freeman

            Melissa Schuman as Zoe Parks

            George Cedar as Old Man

            Shani Pride as Jasmine

            Shvona Lavette Williams as Guitar Playing Vocalist

            Sam Sarpong as Kadeem

            Kevin Christy as Chuck Mattock

            Jordan Burg as Little Boy

            Elimu Nelson as Dru Hilton

            Reagan Gomez-Preston as Olivia

            Gay Thomas Wilson as Judy Morgan

            Ian Chidlaw as Eddie

            J.B. Ghuman Jr. as JB

            Michael Davis as Junior

            Jackie Benoit as Old Lady

            Stuart Scott as Himself

            Nicole Scherzinger as Champagne Girl

            Raistalla as Drill Team Member

            Kelly Becerra as Drill Team Member

            Lindsey Blaufarb as Drill Team Member

            Crystal Colar as Drill Team Member

            Rocio Mendoza as Drill Team Member

            Ben Stephens as Jock #1

            Charles Owen Hobaugh as Jazz Musician

            Mayte Garcia as Dancer

            Ernestine Parks as Singer
See full cast