Two Can Play That Game
Screen Gems | Release Date: September 7, 2001 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
35
METASCORE
Generally unfavorable reviews based on 21 Critic Reviews
Positive:
4
Mixed:
9
Negative:
8
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
75
Philadelphia InquirerCarrie Rickey
A snappily fun Mantrap Movie, as films about husband-hunting gals are known, is that rare hybrid of romantic comedy and Super Bowl. Read full review
75
Boston GlobeJonathan Perry
In addition to the film's two extremely likable stars, the strong supporting cast features a who's who of rising African-American actors. Read full review
63
Miami HeraldConnie Ogle
The movie still manages to unearth laughs, some of them pretty big, especially once Shanté's program is under way. Read full review
63
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
The movie does have charm and moments of humor, but what it doesn't have is romance. Read full review
60
Chicago ReaderLisa Alspector
Writer-director Mark Brown ruptures and restores the realism in this romantic comedy with ease, dispensing earnest wisdom with a little tongue in cheek instead of undermining it with a lot of irony. Read full review
60
TV Guide MagazineStephen Miller
A sassy romantic battle of the sexes with a refreshing African-American slant. Read full review
58
Portland OregonianGary Dowell
An endearing romantic comedy that pokes fun at the ridiculous things people do for love. Read full review
50
San Francisco ChronicleEdward Guthmann
The best scenes are the ones that Fox shares with Tamala Jones, Wendy Raquel Robinson and the full-figured Monique as her sassy girlfriends. There's a ripe, crackling spontaneity when these women get together. Read full review
50
USA TodayClaudia Puig
Women may appear a bit smarter here, but both sexes are portrayed as superficial and silly. Read full review
42
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
Along comes Two Can Play That Game to demonstrate that antifeminist silliness is color-blind. Read full review
40
SalonStephanie Zacharek
Ultimately feels somewhat overprocessed, and its humor is a little too broad at times -- it probably crosses the acceptable threshold of penis and boob jokes. Read full review
40
Los Angeles TimesGene Seymour
There probably isn't another actress anywhere who could make that corny self-advertisement work. And there definitely isn't another actress who could make such an overbearing heroine worth watching for an hour and a half. Read full review
40
The New York TimesDana Stevens
A likable, featherweight romantic comedy that hardly asks to be taken seriously, but its very triviality is, in some ways, quite significant. Read full review
38
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
Aside from the shamelessly promoted corporate sponsors, nobody emerges from this game a winner. But the biggest losers are the ones who paid good money to watch it. Read full review
38
New York PostLou Lumenick
The characters are so cartoonish, it's hard to care on any level -- except that it wastes such talented performers. Read full review
30
L.A. WeeklyMark Olsen
Ultimately neither freewheeling enough to work as a diverting entertainment nor barbed enough to strike home as any sort of social commentary. Read full review
30
Washington PostDesson Thomson
Doesn't anyone get sick of this same old routine? Read full review
30
New Times (L.A.)Luke Y. Thompson
Too bad very few of these high jinks are actually funny -- the outtakes at the end of the film suggest a more relaxed ensemble vibe that the film proper was unable to retain. Read full review
25
Chicago TribuneLoren King
Throws its obvious predecessor, "Waiting to Exhale," into relief, making that 1995 syrupy revenge fantasy look positively Shakespearean next to the moronic Two Can Play That Game. Read full review
10
VarietyRobert Koehler
Few recent movies have conceived their central female character more contemptuously -- a fanatic for a lifestyle that appears to have come from the bestselling "The Rules." Read full review
10
Village VoiceMark Holcomb
It's the summer's most disingenuous movie -- a real achievement in a waning season that included Tim Burton's "Banana Splits" remake. Read full review
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