I Love You, Beth Cooper
Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation | Release Date: July 10, 2009 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
32
METASCORE
Generally unfavorable reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews
Positive:
3
Mixed:
12
Negative:
15
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
83
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
The story is timeless; this could have taken place when Doyle graduated in '76 -- or any year, really, since the effects of high school linger throughout adult life and nerds are forever. Read full review
75
New York PostKyle Smith
Isn't especially hilarious, but it has a warm sense of humor instead of a string of gross-out jokes. It'll be a cable mainstay. Read full review
75
Christian Science MonitorPeter Rainer
Has some smart flashes, and a few of the young performers resemble real people and not the usual prefab teen idols. Read full review
50
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
Of the two co-stars, what I can say is that I’m looking forward to their next films. Read full review
50
Miami HeraldRene Rodriguez
The problem with I Love You, Beth Cooper is that aside from Denis' speech at the start, everything else seems familiar. Read full review
50
Boston GlobeTy Burr
Panettiere, I’m sad to report, is a dud as the title character, a supposed wild thang who never rises above the level of runty, obnoxious mall chick, down to the roll-on tan. Read full review
50
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Stephen Cole
The movie feels like something parents want their kids to see. Harold and Kumar wouldn't want anything to do with Beth Cooper or Denis Cooverman. You're probably not going to like them much either. Read full review
50
Baltimore SunMichael Sragow
Since that gifted, attractive performer is Hayden Panettiere, who has already won a wide following for "Heroes," it's a wonder that the studio hasn't been more heavily promoting her appearance in this decent, genial youth comedy. After all, she does play, ah, Beth Cooper. Read full review
50
USA TodayClaudia Puig
This leaden teen comedy is meant to be lively, but it's curiously bland. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChroniclePeter Hartlaub
Isn't a terrible addition to the teen coming-of-age party movie catalog. It just feels dated. Read full review
50
ReelViewsJames Berardinelli
There's a sense that a much better movie is trying to get out but it never attains escape velocity. Read full review
50
TV Guide MagazineJason Buchanan
For a teen film to resonate, it has to feel honest, and I Love You, Beth Cooper simply comes off as too paint-by-numbers to achieve any level of emotional authenticity. Read full review
40
Los Angeles TimesMark Olsen
Not a remake -- it just feels like one. Read full review
40
SalonStephanie Zacharek
Moves along, taking two steps backward into crassness for every clever or just plain sweet moment it offers. Although many of the movie's problems seem to be rooted in the script, Columbus has such a heavy touch that he sabotages nearly every scene. Read full review
40
EmpireStaff (Not credited)
Painfully unfunny, I Love You, Beth Cooper is more likely to elicit the opposite reaction. Read full review
38
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
The film quickly turns unintentionally, and unrelentingly, awkward. Read full review
35
NPRElla Taylor
Lumbering comedy, adapted by Larry Doyle from his own novel. Read full review
30
The Hollywood ReporterStephen Farber
Although the teenage audience is notoriously undiscriminating, it's hard to imagine many kids turning out for this laugh-free comedy. Read full review
30
VarietyBrian Lowry
Peaks early -- like, during the first three minutes -- and rapidly goes downhill from there. Read full review
30
The New York TimesA.O. Scott
Drab and incoherent teen comedy. Read full review
30
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
A more accurate title might be "Sub-Bad." Read full review
30
Washington PostRuth McCann
Perhaps the best thing that can be said about I Love You, Beth Cooper is that the title is correctly punctuated. Beyond that, the movie is a disappointingly flabby teen flick. Read full review
30
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
Ends up as little more than a recursive footnote to the infinitely better up-all-night teen comedies of, you guessed it, John Hughes. Read full review
25
Chicago TribuneMichael Phillips
A funny thing happened to Larry Doyle's 2007 debut novel on the way to the multiplex. It turned into its own ring of coming-of-age comedy hell. Read full review
25
The A.V. ClubScott Tobias
There’s hardly an authentic second in the film. Read full review
25
Rolling StonePeter Travers
Aiming for the heartfelt hilarity of "Superbad," I Love You, Beth Cooper is just super bad. Read full review
10
Village VoiceScott Foundas
Joyless, offensively stupid end-of-high-school farce. Read full review
8
Portland OregonianM. E. Russell
I was stunned to learn that "Beth Cooper" was adapted by former "Simpsons" writer Larry Doyle from his young-adult novel and directed by "Harry Potter" helmer Chris Columbus. Rarely have two seasoned Hollywood professionals produced something so painfully, amateurishly, relentlessly unfunny. Read full review
0
New York Daily NewsJoe Neumaier
This unfunny, unoriginal, charmless teen comedy is so stunningly awful from start to finish, it's amazing to think its director has made a single film before, much less a dozen. Read full review
0
Film ThreatDon R. Lewis
Sloppy, not funny, downright stupid, ridiculous as well as horribly themed and shot. Read full review
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