Diane Lane, John Cusack, Elizabeth Perkins

Sarah Hurlihy, a divorced preschool teacher who has sworn off dating after her bad breakup, finds her family pushing her back into the dating world. Her sister places a personal ad for her, declaring ...( read more  read more... )that anyone answering it "must love dogs," despite the fact that Sarah doesn't own a dog herself. When someone intriguing responds to the ad, she decides to borrow Mother Theresa, her brother's dog, and plunge in.

Flixster Users

57% liked it

181,623 ratings

Critics

35% liked it

143 critics

PG-13, 98 min

Directed by: Gary David Goldberg

Release Date: July 29, 2005

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DVD Release Date: December 20, 2005

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Stats: 5,026 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (5,026)


  • May 28, 2009
    Cute movie. This would have been even better on a rainy afternoon haning out with the girls. Total chick flick, but cute. The cast was great, john Cusack, there's just something about him. Diane Lane is alwats great, I love her range and that she doesn't get type cast. Then the r...( read more)est is amazingly well cast. The story also one of those done over and over again...little boring becasue of that, but this was cute enough to keep me interested...
  • November 13, 2008
    Love the dialogue between Diane Lane and her family. Funny in a cutely sad way. Nice movie, though the ending was a bit cliched.
  • August 11, 2008
    Carol: [Jake and Sarah enter Sarah's house] "Hello! I filled your freezer again. There's now enough meat in there to feed every guy who answered your ad and still... whoa.
    [enters room, sees Jake for first time]
    Sarah: Jake did, in fact, answer the ad...
    Jake: Do I get my m...( read more)eat?"

    Eight months after her bitter divorce, Sarah (Lane) sifts through her large Irish family's misguided matchmaking attempts and wonders aloud if she'll ever find love again. With unsolicited assistance from her older sister, Carol (Elizabeth Perkins), Sarah posts a profile to an Internet dating website and enters a steady stream of social disasters. Two suitors gradually rise to the surface: outwardly nice Bob (Dermot Mulroney), and intense but ultimately decent Jake (John Cusack). by looking at the poster we can tel that Lane and Cusack are meant to mate, though the two share a minimal chemistry that's slow to form. We almost have more fun when the main couple is apart and interacting with their supporting players. Cusack's on cruise control, not sinking to sleepwalking level but hitting his marks with the casual stride of someone who's explored this territory before. His shuffle stands out in contrast to the nimble juggling act managed by Lane. Must Love Dogs is dependable filmmaking in an uneven genre, and it's a treat to see it sail evenly.

    [Jake and Sarah are trying to buy some condoms because neither of them had any; Jake returns from a store to the car]
    Jake: "They're out!
    Sarah: How can they be out?
    Jake: I have a theory about this. Everyone in the city is having sex at the exact same time... except for us. But we will press on."
  • November 7, 2007
    It was cute enough but I feel like they played all the really funny parts in the preview.
  • September 24, 2007
    eh.......
  • November 13, 2009
    John Cusack is one of my favourites!
  • November 12, 2009
    one of john cusacks most boring films. And he's one of my favorite actors.
  • October 25, 2009
    Another lame romantic comedy
  • October 15, 2009
    This is a story about a divorced teacher who doesn't want to continue dating after finishing a relationship. Her family wants her to find a new boyfriend so they post an ad on a dating website for her. She gets many offers and when one of the offers sound to be good she decides t...( read more)o give it a try and she goes on a date with this guy. Very charming and sweet.
  • September 23, 2009
    Romantic film, barely a chick flick, more boring than most but more lifelike than others. Trying to tell it how it is-summed up/glossed over, in the relm of 'Intro.Dating' from web sites. The kind you can hardly watch all of and still get te gist of completely. I saw all of it......( read more) really I did lol.

    A 'Clone Wars' parable : ?The best 'Confidence Builder' is 'Experience'?

Critic Reviews


July 29, 2005
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

It's ostensibly about adults, but there's nothing remotely adult about it. full review

July 29, 2005
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times

As fantasies go, you could do a lot worse. full review

July 29, 2005
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Just when you think you have Goldberg figured, he springs fresh surprises. full review

July 28, 2005
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Director Gary David Goldberg has said he gave the script to Cusack to add his own touches, resulting in some clever and engaging repartee with Diane Lane, another intelligent and likable actor. full review

July 28, 2005
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Must Love Dogs is like a puppy with big brown eyes and a wagging tail who weeps with eagerness to lick your hand, but you take a look around the pound and decide to adopt the sad-eyed beagle who looks... full review

View more Must Love Dogs reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

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