User Reviews

It's interesting to see Sarah Michelle Gellar play a character in a low-key fashion. I recently rented the campy (and hilarious) Cruel Intentions to see her give a performance so unbelievably over-the-top I couldn't stop laughing. Also, the less said about her role in I KNow What You Did Last Summer the better. Though impeccably shot sequences in and around New York give the film a glowing lusture, the script and the characters don't live up to the glow and seem to blend in with the scenery. It's supernatural themes seem to get left behind when there's a moment of pesky plot to spoil the visual pleasure, and I'm not convinced that anyone on screen wanted to be there at all. Also, why does a young woman on the verge of bankruptcy dress so well and have such impeccably styled hair? And why would she wear designer outfits whilst making sauces? It's odd. It seemed to be a Vogue photo essay in search of a Meg Ryan-esque romance.

I was surprised how much I enjoyed "Simply Irresistible."

I went because I like the leads from TV shows and I like magic realism .

I didn't mind that it rips off "Like Water for Chocolate" but I did mind how cheaply it was done with really lousy cinematography and poor lighting.

The cute script had the teens in the audience laughing out loud so it's too bad there was no directorial imagination. Bring on the fantasy scenes, please.

It also badly needed a choreographer, but it had nice music here and there.

Not the best romantic movie of the year.

(Originally written 2/13/1999)

This is a charming film, very well acted and with great production values. But, like the screwball comedies of the thirties, and the musicals of Fred Astaire, it isn't for everyone. Of course, a romantic comedy which is based on the magical ability of a crab to inspire Gellar to feats of culinary greatness is a premise which might be hard for some to swallow. But I think its worth the effort, and it's no dafter than many successful comedy of earlier days. For those who follow such things there are three great references to the films of Fred Astaire. First is when Flannery is choosing the floor design for his new restaurant. The wavy black and white design is straight out of Yolanda and the Thief (1946 MGM) where, in a number called Coffee Time, Fred Astaire and Lucille Bremer dance on a huge floor of exactly this design. As if to hammer it home Flannery's boss reacts by saying " it looks like something out of an MGM musical". Reference number two is to The Belle of New York (1952 MGM) where Fred Astaire and Vera-Ellen kiss and float up to the ceiling. This is directly quoted in a kitchen scene where, under the influence of the crab, Gellar and Flannery kiss and float to the ceiling. These references are interesting because both films have fantasy/magical themes and both are somewhat looked down on in Astaire's oeuvre. The third reference is to Shall We Dance (1937 RKO)where in the Gershwin number of the same name Fred Astaire is confronted with a long line of Ginger Rodgers masked look-alikes. In Simply Irresistable Gellar appears reflected in a long line of mirrors with Flannery temporarily confused as to where she is, with both of them standing in a set that seems right out of Van Nest Polglase's Art Deco creations for RKO. Here the reference seems to be to the magician's art of illusion. Anyhow, after all that, you should have a feel for whether this film is for you.

Simply Irresistible was, by far, the worst movie I've ever seen. I never comment on movies, but I felt that this one was worth a stern warning to other movie goers. The dialogue was worse than a junior high drama class. The story didn't follow either logical or fantastical comprehension, I'm not sure if they even had one, or if they made it up as they went along. It made no sense, nor tried to explain any of the retardedness that was going on. It literally hurt my brain to watch it, but I forced myself because I spent 8 bucks on it, and the storyline just got worse and worse. Avoid this movie at all cost. Be warned!!!

The plot is as follows:

SMG has a failing restaurant. This weird looking guy shows up at the start of the movie and leaves her with a crab to help her out. (He doesn't appear again.)

The crab has the power to make her food simply irresistible hence the title.

To give you an example of how bad it is, her token male confidante tells her that when guys adjust their belts they are thinking of sex.

The next few scenes show guys adjusting their belts.

Then she meets her dream man and he doesn't wear a belt. She even asks him about the theory.

Then it shows a shot of him adjusting his suspenders.

Amanda Peet has a few scenes but thankfully (for her career) she exits soon after. When she was sent the script she should of used it to kill bugs.

This is the type of movie that everyone who sees it, leaves the theatre as an aspiring screenwriter.

Sarah Michelle Gellar is the chef/manager of a 70-year-old restaurant that is failing because, she feels, she can't cook. While shopping for the day's menu, she buys a basket of crabs, though she knows no recipes for them, and meets retail magnate Dylan Baker. Who has decided to open a great restaurant in Bendel's. Thanks to a magic crab in the basket, she finds things going her way with hunky Sean Patrick Flanery, who thinks she's a witch.

Everyone is good looking and capable as a performer, but here we are confronted with a popular trope of the 1990s, that no one can manage a satisfactory love life without supernatural intervention. Considering Miss Gellar's sad-sack attitude and poor self image (she imagines she is not utterly gorgeous), I found the whole thing as annoying as a Hallmark Channel movie, particularly when her whining alternates with moments of culinary triumph and dancing. Some nice location shooting around Manhattan is welcome, but the clueless way restaurateurs shop for the freshest seafood at the Union Square market, instead of Fulton Street -- which is not in the least attractive, and you would have had to deal with the Mafia in those days -- layers on the nonsense.

This is a very sweet little movie. The "magic" business in it is there to give it a little edge, and I think that they wisely don't explain it, but the movie works best when they underplay it. It's at its best around the "shopping for plates" sequence when the characters discuss how often men think about sex. It's handled with a light touch that is just right. That is the tone that I would have liked to see the movie maintain, and which they hit now and again during the course of it, but also missed from time to time.

It's not a sure thing (it's no "Moonstruck", for example), but if you like romantic comedy it's worth a look. I'd give it a 7/10 (slightly less than 3 stars, but close).

In this romantic comedy (if you could call it that) Sarah Michelle Gellar, star of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, stars as a cook who gets magical powers and uses them to cook very nice food. It sounds like a cute idea but the film does not work on any level. The acting was awful. Gellar, although not one of my favourite actresses, normally seems to possess a basic level of acting ability in Buffy but it is not apparent here. Sean Patrick Flanery is also very tedious in this film. They are supposedly in love but the two leads show no chemistry and in fact seem generally bored throughout the film. Not that I can entirely blame them given that the dialogue means that it would be extremely difficult for them to seem at all like believable human beings. The story was just absurd and the special effects (particularly the infamous crab) were just painfully bad. The director does not seem to have made any effort at all. I wasn't expecting a masterpiece but I was hoping to be entertained in some way by this film but it's truly bad. I lost hope about 20 minutes before the ending and left which is quite unusual for me as I like to finish what I start. However, this is a film which justifies walking out. Definitely one of the worst films I've seen in years.

1/10 - Give this one a miss

Is this movie a masterpiece? No. But it is charming for what it is, and it's a regular rewatch for me. I'm a sucker for magical realism, movies about food, and 90s nostalgia, so this checks a lot of boxes for me. The supporting characters alone are worth watching for, especially Patricia Clarkson!

It's a light, feel-good 90s rom com with magical food. Don't expect anything too deep, and try to ignore Sean Patrick Flanery's utterly mediocre and boring character (who hates the idea of food that is both delicious AND magical? Come on). He is really the only thing I hate about this movie and he doesn't deserve SMG's character at all, but I honestly love it otherwise. Imo it's worth watching!

Honestly, I think this is an awful movie... but I can't help but love it! It has a cheesy plot, unrealistic characters, a bit of magic that adds to the unbelievability and about everything else that a bad movie has. And yet, this is one of my favorite movies to watch when I'm in the mood to watch something light and fun. I'm almost embarrassed to say I love it! I don't know what it is about this movie that makes it so enjoyable to me. The basic plot... Sarah Michelle Gellar is a rather unsuccessful chef who wants to become better and save her family's restaurant. After buying a crab at a local market her luck begins to change. Suddenly she is able to cook amazing food that is sort of hypnotic and magical. She's offered a job as head chef at a posh new restaurant by a gorgeous guy who (wouldn't you know it) she ends up falling in love with. Give it a try. Maybe you'll love it too. I think it's the whole food idea that gets me....

Dear Folks, Thank You for the movie. It is so well-destructed that it holds no pretensions from the very beginning. The soundtrack alone was marvelous. The costumes beautiful. Even the food was pretty. My daughter introduced me to this film. She watches it at least once a month, usually on the same evening as "Happily Ever After". I liked the crab. I liked the department store. The sex comment was a bit much, but it did remind me a little of the Jack Lemmon or Doris Day movies of the sixties. Anyway, thanks for the movie. It did what it was supposed to do, and then stopped.

Write if you find work,

your affectionate correspondent,

Charley Weaver

This is another one of those films that confirms that there are too many drugs floating around Hollywood, especially being used by screen writers and directors. The film could have been cute, but it just got lost in silliness, bad acting and even worse directing. I love magic in movies, but the magic in this one just became mired in weird sexuality and dumb effects. Is there such thing as an intelligent and witty comedy anymore?

While a thousand monkeys on a thousand typewriters might never write a play like Shakespeare, any ten of them could have cranked out the lines for this one. It is at best a romantic comedy for the Barbie and Ken doll set, with a script so trite and corny as to be unintentionally amusing. Gellar is suitably appealing in her role as Amanda, a likeable and intelligent young woman, but it is "she" who becomes bewitched by a character with no more depth than a paper cutout, having to his credit only lots of money and conventional good looks. Then the plot revolves around her obsession with catching him, when it is painfully obvious that he isn't worth running after.

The title implies that it is "she" who is irresistible, except that she is always chasing after him. In other words, if she is so irresistible, why would she need "magic" to catch such a dolt? Her character is a hundred times more interesting than his, bothering to be concerned about others and such, while he is too in love with "himself" to care about anyone else. The deepest thought he can contemplate is the perfect paper plane! If there is a prince to this farce of a fairy tale, it might come closer to her buddy the cook, who is at least a fairly good friend. But this is a shallow and embarrassing story, tediously boring, with no better message but that money and glamour are more worth having than imagination and character.

I won't lie, I flocked theaters to see this, because I was a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan. And its star actress, Sarah Michelle Gellar. The movie in itself is extremely cheesy and awkward. But it's also very charming, with that dreamy New York setting, the bewitching soundtrack (I know...) and the hilarious supporting cast, giving it more appeal. It is indeed, simply irresistible, if you only see it as harmless entertainment. Which I do every time I watch it, and laugh at some of the (corny) humor. However, that old romantic comedy approach, is a mistake. And mostly what makes this movie, cringeworthy at times. I love the premise about the heroine passing her emotions onto her cooking, but this aspect of the movie wasn't worked through. And the mystery guy, and his magical crab were never explained either...

This has to be one of the worst movies I've seen in years, an absolute disaster. Right after the opening credits were through I knew it was going to be bad. Is this the kind of crap that Hollywood likes to put out today? There was nothing original here, nothing funny, and nothing entertaining. Emotional food, hmm, anyone remember "Mystic Pizza"? Give me a break, avoid this one at all costs...

Accept that it's a fantasy rom com and it's likeable enough.

I like this movie despite it's flaws. Yes it has supernatural fantasy elements. So what? Not a /the problem.

The story is formulaic - boy and girl meet, hit it off, connect, problems, guess the rest. The twist: not so twisty destiny element. Fairy god-crab? LOL. Ok I can roll with it. The crab was cute. Magical food. Sure. Mystical fog. Ok. It's a movie, so if one can suspend reality for other fantasy films, you can for this.

I felt there was potential to be more and better. But the occasional cringe lines couldn't be saved by the decent actors.

The two main characters , plus the three main supporting characters, are all likeable and fun. There were moments of great connection between them all.

But there was some dodgy script and dialogue. It really let it down. There were some plot holes but it's clearly not intended for the Oscars.

Verdict: There's better rom coms out there for your time. But if you are a SMG fan, or a diehard for rom coms, go for it.

Mind you, such harsh words come from the biggest Buffy fan ever; I'd rather miss a bathing than an episode. But Sarah, please, why did you agree to participate on a screenplay that would have been better used as loo paper? "Simply Irresistible" is anything but - an unfunny, unromantic ball of dog mess. The story, centering around two, young, hip New Yorkers falling in love from the help of a magical crab sounds like it was conceived when some Hollywood executive was juiced on 'ludes and constipated on the toilet. The film can't even offer a single interesting moment, line of dialogue or original thought. I found myself, three minutes into the film, wishing that Sarah's character, Amanda, would lose her noodle, get all hot and carnal, and just pull off her blouse and skirt - spending the rest of the film, nude, standing in a fountain, and singing showtunes to anyone walking by. Not THAT'S what I call "Simply Irresistible". And when you think that nothing else could go wrong with this mistake, the producers had to gall to have Sarah's hair changed back to her original color, brown - it looks horrible. Everyone knows that we want SMG beautiful and blonde...the way God artificially intended her.

This movie turned out to be better than I expected it would be. It comprises two plot ideas borrowed from other stories: one is from an old Twilight Zone episode where a man named Fate steps in to assist a downtrodden man; the second is Like Water from Chocolate, where the very emotions of the cook preparing the food are ingrained as a "secret ingredient" of a heavenly tasting delicacy.

Sarah Michelle Gellar is a mediocre cook, and the restaurant she inherited from her mother is suffering the consequences. One day a mysterious man sells her some crabs, one of which has some amazing properties. The crab causes her to meet an eligible bachelor, but that's only the beginning. Suddenly her cooking is top quality, the restaurant flourishes, and her magical pastries are in demand.

There are some clever bits, but some events are predictable for this kind of story. The guy Gellar likes is already seeing some girl and she's a jerk, while he's a Don Juan guy who needs to grow up. Some other characters start off paper thin, but most of them do grow as the story moves on. It seemed kind of weird how everybody accepted the magical element of the food without any reservation, but overall the the fantasy elements of this movie are served up pretty well.

There are minor flaws in execution, but this is overall a good romantic story, great for a date flick.

This movie has a light-hearted and fairly lousy script, but it still has a corny kind of charm that will probably appeal to young girls. I doubt it's something these actors would put at the top of their resume, but it's kind of cute if you don't expect too much.

This is Sarah Michelle Gellar's best movie! Unpretentious, genuine young lady battling the reality of small business and about to see her whole world go down the kitchen drain when she is saved by wonder.

And that is what this story is about wonder.. and food.

For me the details are everything. The plot is simple and that is probably what disturbs a number of the reviewers.. but they admit it themselves.. and they can't put their finger on it. Here we finally have a story where everything suddenly goes right. And wouldn't you like that to happen to you at least once! The movie has name players but not A-listers. The story features a great deal to do with savouring the taste of food, and who would go to see a movie based on food? Yet.. there are few pictures I enjoy more than this one. I am not a SMG fan, but in this motion picture Sarah is absolutely perfectly cast. It is her 13 Going On 30 role!

I woke up one beautiful sunny Sunday mid morning and while I was snug and cozy under the covers and still a little sleepy I turned on the TV and watched this movie and loved it. One of my favorite scenes is when the patrons at the new restaurant were all crying tears of culinary joy and the poet stood up and started a poem by saying: "this food is the perfect poem I never wrote......" unfortunately this is all I heard of that poem and I've been dying to hear the rest of it ever since. I've search the web for a transcript of the movie to no avail so if any one out there knows what the poet said please please please let me know, I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you