Netflix subscribers revel in this romantic comedy tinged with politics signed by an actor behind the camera.
This romantic comedy set in the middle of politics and student campuses is carried by a cast at the time best known on the small screen: Katie Holmes (Dawson) and Marc Blucas (Buffy the vampire slayer). It’s Stars in Their Eyes (2004) and it’s currently in Netflix’s top 10 most-watched movies.
The daughter of the President of the United States strives to follow a normal education on the campus of her university, without preferential treatment or bodyguards. Unbeknownst to her, the government decides to infiltrate a secret agent to watch over her by inventing a simple student cover for her. Their meeting will make sparks, for good as well as for bad.
Twentieth Century Fox Marc Blucas
The film features Katie Holmes in her first headlining film since her Dawson series ended in 2003. In fact, if you’re a Dawson fan, try our quiz on the series, but watch out for the pitfalls!
At 26, Holmes plays here a young woman who is 18 and Blucas is infiltrated as a student of his class when he is 31! The president of the USA and father of the main character is played by Michael Keaton, perfect in this register.
The characters are rather poorly written and the two main actors do not have much to show their undeniable talent as actors. That aside, Stars in Your Eyes is a charming and innocuous fairy tale, meant to make a good night out without adding any added value.
Twentieth Century Fox
Katie Holmes
The biggest surprise of the film is undoubtedly due to its director, the actor Forest Whitaker, This is to date his third and last feature film, released in 2005 in France, and after Where are the men? (1995) with Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett and Such is Life (1998) with Sandra Bullock.
The story is co-written by Jessica Bendinger, Kate Kondell and actor Jerry O’Connell, known for his roles in Stand By Me, the Sliders series, parallel worlds or Jerry Maguire.
Twentieth Century Fox
Note that the initial release of the feature film had been postponed after a film on the exact same theme (Free Spirit) crashed at the box office, with 12 million dollars reported for an estimated budget of 23 million. Stars in Their Eyes did even worse with only 10 million earned!