Head Over Heels (2001) User Reviews

Stereotypical and silly, but still in all good fun

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 5/10 · 1 March 2006]

Oh, come on, people, was it really that irritating to you? Now, I admit, in no way is this movie Oscar material or the best movie of 2001, but learn to have a little fun. Are you really telling me that you couldn't laugh at the models? They took the movie and made it into a fun ditzy comedy. Basically, it's incredibly predictable, but Freddie Prinze, Jr. is a "fashion" business man who falls for Monica and she does as well. But as she states that she has bad judgment of men, there is a terrible thing she witnesses in an apartment with her "model" roommates and see him commit a murder! Together they investigate to find out if she is going to have a murderer boyfriend or live happily ever after, you make the guess.

5/10

Monica Potter glows, the rest of the film just flickers

[inkblot11 · 6/10 · 17 April 2005]

Amanda (Monica Potter) is an art restorer for a New York City museum. Needing a new apartment with a miniscule rent, she finds a tiny room. It is located in the spacious apartment of four supermodels! Amanda gets the large closet. When a good-looking man (Freddie Prinze, Jr.) moves into an apartment nearby, the models encourage Amanda to express an interest in him. However, Mandy thinks she sees him commit a murder! What's happening?

Monica Potter is so lovely and charming in this film, one wishes she had a better vehicle. The plot is okay but takes a long time to develop. However, the costumes and sets are great and Prinze and the models make wonderful eye candy, too. One could do worse than spend an afternoon with all of these attractive folks. Recommended as an alternate choice for those who have laughed and cried through two dozen other romantic comedies with mild suspense.

Incredibly funny if not taken too seriously

[Mirax · 11 August 2001]

I'll admit it: it's utterly embarrassing to watch this movie with another human being. I was embarrassed when I laughed uncontrollably at things numerous reviews had told me were idiotic humor. Well, this movie is idiotic. It's also adorable romantic comedy, with a funny and somewhat original premise . . . at least, it's cobbled together from original premises, like the "Rear Window" setup where Amanda thinks she witnesses her obsession across the street, Jim, murdering someone. Freddie Prinze Jr is completely irresistible, and Monica Potter's somewhat one-note nice-girl cuteness is made palatable by the insanity of her four supermodel roommates and her practical lesbian friend. Watch this, laugh hard and don't be embarrassed, because this movie, even at its most poorly scripted moments, is earnestly trying to make you laugh, unlike most of today's prefab romantic comedies, whose earnestness is sheer manipulation. Plus, only a small percentage of those have Freddie in them.

Help, I'm drowning in bad dialogue!!!

[ukchemee · 1/10 · 4 March 2001]

The title says it all. I felt like crying out in the movie theater, "Help, help - I'm drowning in bad dialogue". Whoever penned the script should be ashamed of themselves. The directing was something out of a middle school play. I really wish I were kidding here. While the two leads MAY have an ounce of skill, the directing quashed it altogether. The rest of the actors... well, let's just hope they didn't quit their day jobs for Hollywood. It scares me that people pay money to see movies like this repeatedly. Anyone who enjoyed this movie needs to seriously re-evaluate their tastes. For a better time, sit in the movie theater lobby and listen to other people's conversations. At least you'll get some decent dialogue.

..you can't help but laugh.

[qball_82 · 7/10 · 20 June 2001]

I knew absolutely nothing about this film when I walked in except that it starred Freddie Prinze Jr., and I wasn't really looking forward to it. I'm happy to say that it was a pretty entertaining film and I have seen much much worse...

There are some genuinely funny parts and the "stereotypical" models provided the most laughs. It shares a lot in common with Miss Congeniality in how the pretty girls are depicted as ditzy and just all-out stupid...obviously it's not supposed to be a realistic portrayal, but you can't help but laugh.

A lot of people seem to be paying this movie out big time, I just wanted to add a positive comment. It's fluff, expect nothing more.

Freddie is craptacular

[sittler · 1/10 · 27 August 2002]

I think video stores are going to have to reserve a spot for "Freddie Prinze" movies. A Freddie Prinze genre movie would consist of terrible jokes, bad acting and an awkward/predictable plot-line. Being par for the course, "Head Over Heels" has all these in spades.

Jim (Prinze) is the object of affection of Amanda (Monica Potter) who meets her Prince Charming after his Great Dane he's walking assaults her at the park. She falls in love with him, so much so she feels it necessary to spy on him in his apartment across the way with her telescope. There, she sees him murder a woman with a baseball bat and then cover-up the body. But does she call the police like a normal human being? Of course not. Why? Because he's Freddie Prinze, the boy with an infectious smile that can transcend even murder. From there, the misunderstandings and "hilarity" ensue. "Head Over Heels" tries to cash in on the toilet-humour, which can be funny (see "Dumb and Dumber"). But the writers can't even get the cheap laughs right. For example, there's a scene where Amanda and her model friends (don't even get me started on them) sneak into Jim's apartment while he's out to see if they can find anything that might explain the horrific scene she witnessed. Surprise!! Jim comes home unexpectedly and the girls find themselves trapped in his shower while he takes a number two - a disgustingly smelly and loud number two. There's just something that doesn't sit about a romantic lead taking a dump, even if it is supposed to be a comedy. Mind you, it was a pretty good metaphor for this movie.

romantic comedy,screwball comedy,farce,all rolled into one

[disdressed12 · 7/10 · 14 November 2007]

this is one of the better romantic comedies i've seen in a while.for one thing,it has quite a few laughs.but i think that's because it's also a farce and a screwball comedy.i liked the slapstick scenes they threw in.i thought they were very effective.the dialogue in the movie is also great.there are some very witty scenes.it's also a mystery movie of sorts.Monica Potter and Freddie Prinze Jr.play the two leads in the film.both are instantly likable,(at least in this movie,at any rate)as are their characters.i don't feel this is your standard romantic comedy.it has other dimensions to it,which you'll notice when you watch it.i expected the movie to be average,mildly amusing fluff,but i'm glad i was wrong.there are a few moments where it is a bit slow,but for the most part,things flow along at a decent enough pace.for me,Head over Heels is a 7/10.

Typical, Maybe too typical

[Quinoa1984 · 5/10 · 3 February 2001]

Cliched to the bone with all the dumb surprises knocked in, Head Over Heels is just what you would expect in the January-February season. The film stars the undeniably charming Monica Potter as an art person who moves in with models (there are moments of slight satire on models) and soon she falls for a regular guy (Freddie Prinze Jr.) but is not sure he is all he is cracked up to be. Starts out just fine with some funny moments, but takes a deep sea dive type of plunge into idiocy that isn't the type of funny, Beavis and Butt-head comedy, but just the ridiculously idiotic. Not that good. C

Nice movie to watch with your girlfriend

[chris-236 · 8/10 · 9 May 2001]

This is a very ordinary movie. Nothing really surprises you, however, it is still good fun, the acting is not bad at all, and it makes you want to hug someone. I recommend it to anyone who wants a soft and easily digested movie.

Good solid comedy

[jerzeygrl · 7/10 · 31 January 2001]

Freddie Prinze Jr. & Monica Potter play "normal" people falling in love, amidst NYC's fashion scene. He's a fashion consultant & her new roommates are 4 up-and-coming models. Yes it's definitely a chick flick, but the movie is actually VERY funny. The models: Shalom, Sara, Ivana, & Tomiko play it way over the top and it works. I laughed out loud so many times, the people behind me kicked my seat... Freddie Prinze Jr. redeems himself, you don't catch him acting in this. I'd see it again in a minute!!

Freddie should have stayed a teen dream

[bkoganbing · 3/10 · 6 February 2014]

Head Over Heels is a comedy misfire if ever there was one. It has some interesting moments, but in the end a rather stupid plot defeats all the players involved. That and the premise that fashion models must be brain dead as well as beautiful to qualify for the job.

Monica Potter who works restoring paintings at the Metropolitan Museum Of Art gets an opportunity to move in with four fashion models who apparently on everyone else's dime and sublet a room in their swanky apartment for a little extra spending loot. If you add up all the working brain cells that the four have you might have one functioning brain.

She also meets Freddie Prinze, Jr. who's also in the fashion game and she can see right into his apartment and sees one night him commit a murder. Now how could this sexy guy be a murderer. Well ask such charming characters as Ted Bundy and if he were he'd tell you. Potter decides to investigate Prince which includes a wild night of sex with her model onlookers.

If this was Prinze's idea of an adult role he should have stuck to films like Summer Catch and being a teen dream for a bit longer. The film is highly embarrassing for the players, I feel for them.

Cute movie, for someone in the mood for slapstick, physical comedy.

[TxMike · 25 December 2002]

I predicted the "critics" would review this film poorly, and I was right. If I were a professional (paid) critic, I'd feel obligated too. But as a fun film to watch for sheer entertainment, my wife and I thought it was a hoot. The plot isn't terribly important, but it involves an FBI agent (Prinze) trying to solve a diamond smuggling crime ring while falling for a pretty art restorer (Potter). It would be a very straight and un-funny film without the four models!!

Potter's character needs a new place when she finds her boyfriend cheating on her, so finds what amounts to a large closet with a window for rent at $500 a month ("cash, please, if you can") in a luxury apartment that is given to four models. They like to rent out the "extra room" for a little spending money. But these models are funny, say the darndest things, fall over things, into things, and generally make the slapstick part of the film work. Along with a Great Dane that runs and knocks Potter down every time he sees her - except the last time!

None of the acting is great, but it is all OK. The dialog is snappy and funny most of the time. Film fans who enjoy "Dumb and Dumber", "Happy Gilmore", and "High Heels and Low Lifes" would probably also enjoy "Head Over Heels." I rate it "7" of 10 for sheer fun.

Terrible! No wonder it went unreleased for so long!

[walker.donald · 1/10 · 5 April 2001]

This was easily the worst movie I have seen since Godzilla. There were a couple of funny parts, but over all the movie was painfully dumb, and not in a funny way. I saw it for free and I almost left part way through. Pick any movie on the video wall randomly and there is a very good change that you will enjoy it more than Head Over Heels. Did I mention I hated it! The movie felt like it had been edited to pieces (which it probably had been in a desperate attempt to improve it, or at least make it shorter, but sadly not short enough).

This movie wasn't actually that great...

[MeloDee · 7/10 · 29 May 2007]

Yet, I found myself laughing. Perhaps it can be attributed to a possible chemical imbalance at the time or not enough sleep, but I enjoyed it.

I suppose the reason why was that I immediately began to recognize it as a parody. It isn't meant to be realistic or serious.

Amanda Pierce's beginning dialogue is what immediately caught my attention. She was always attracted to the wrong guys, who, when caught in the middle of cheating, would say "This isn't what it looks like".

As a result of one too many heartbreaks, she tried to envelope herself in her work, which was restoring old paintings. That's a profession you don't see very often in the movies, but it was fitting for Amanda.

What can I say? I feel a little guilty, but the movie was "cute" for lack of a better word. Monica Potters and Freddie Prinze Jr. had good on-screen chemistry.

Though again, I repeat- the movie isn't realistic, serious, or deep. So if you're not in the mood for fluff? You'll probably want to avoid it.

A mild comedy

[Spanner-2 · 5/10 · 15 February 2001]

A mild comedy with Monica Potter as a young woman who moves in with a group of struggling models and falls for fashion exec Freddie Prinze Jr., who may or may not be a murderer? Sounds far fetched and it is, but the film is still somewhat entertaining and never boring. Easily forgettable though. GRADE: C+

It's a fun movie!!

[mybnanny · 7/10 · 11 January 2006]

I liked the characters as well as the actors. It was a fun movie, I thought it far fetched in a lot of areas but the actors I think made the movie fun with with their portrayals.Monica Potter is a great alternative to the love story objects of affection, such as Ashley Judd,(who I do Love) and Julia Roberts. They are approaching the age where they can take on more intense roles, and then who does that leave us? Brittany Speers or Lyndsay Lohan, "YUCK" to them both. I hope to see more of her in future films.

I loved the song at the end,"Roller Coaster" but I can't find it anywhere, could some one please post where I can get the sound track or the album with that song.

She certainly DID call the cops

[pulliamrl · 5/10 · 17 December 2006]

I cannot criticize negative reactions to this film, but there is a charm that Freddie Prinz possesses that no movie maker has yet capitalized upon. He COULD fill the shoes of Cary Grant IF someone with actual intelligence could write a script suitable for him.

My reason for posting this comment is that someone -- in going over the plot -- said the girl did not call the police when she allegedly witnessed Prinz's character murder someone (behind a curtain...so she only saw shadows).

She most pointedly and assuredly DID call the police. One of the key plot points for this section of the film is that the police DON'T TAKE HER SERIOUSLY.

I'd be able to take a condemnation of this film more seriously IF the reviewer gave some evidence of actually SEEING the film

Just a silly movie

[LtlHippo · 7/10 · 16 April 2019]

Just a silly little movie to take your mind off of the woes of the world. Prinze Jr. is adorable.

Silly rom-com Tough to mix with Rear Window

[SnoopyStyle · 5/10 · 2 November 2013]

Amanda Pierce (Monica Potter) is an art restorer. She moves into an apartment with four models (Shalom Harlow, Ivana Milicevic, Sarah Murdoch, Tomiko Fraser) after she finds her boyfriend in bed with a model. She falls for the next door neighbor Jim Winston (Freddie Prinze Jr), but she sees him commit a murder Rear Window style.

Monica Potter is trying to break into new territory as a comedian who does pratfalls. She isn't very successful. She's a good looking woman who has specific skills. None of it makes her a comedian. The models are ridiculous. The saving grace is that they are all fairly likable actors. The rom-com has some good potential but they switch over to Rear Window pretty quickly. The Rear Window stuff gets into the way.

The flip side is if this was going for a Rear Window rework. Then it'd be better to skip all the silly comedic stuff. And the ending goes seriously dark. How does that work?

Heartwarming, hilarious, romantic, and touching romantic comedy

[Catherine_Grace_Zeh · 10/10 · 19 January 2006]

HEAD OVER HEELS, in my opinion, is a heartwarming, hilarious, romantic, and touching romantic comedy. If you ask me, the way that Jim (Freddie Prinze Jr.) and Amanda (Monica Potter) met was pure magic. This was because they were walking along and minding their own business. Plus, it was love at first sight. A lot of people have said that this is one of the worst movies they've ever seen, but I strongly disagree. This is a great movie with terrific performances from very talented actors and actresses. Before I wrap this up, I'd like to say, "This is a perfect movie to see with the one you love!" Now, in conclusion, to all you Freddie Prinze Jr. or Monica Potter fans that have not seen this heart-warming, hilarious, romantic, and touching romantic comedy, I highly recommend it! When you see it, prepare to laugh and have a good time.

Okay, so it wasn't Oscar winning, so what?

[thephotorepairman · 26 August 2001]

Is it a good movie or isn't it? If the movie is a comedy and it makes you laugh, somebody must have done something right. The humor is raunchy, but funny. There isn't any profanity, but the sexual content makes up for that. There is something wrong when Amanda comments on the fact that she slept with someone whose name she didn't even know. It furthers her cause as a victim of bad relationships, not really funny, but intended to garner sympathy. Even in this age of promiscuity, it is hard to be sympathetic when she jumps in bed with a guy she's only met a few times. No wonder her romantic life is in tatters.

The reason I believe this movie flopped at the box office is it doesn't have a target audience. Monica Potter isn't exactly a household name, so most guys are off target. Freddie Prinze Jr. appeals mostly to young girls, who because of the strong sexual content, probably were not allowed to see the movie. Personally, I would have liked to see more action, but hey, I'm a guy. (Actually, my wife said it and I'm just agreeing with her.) This movie would have benifited with an "R" rating, and I'm not talking about language or nudity, which rarely enhances a movie box office score.

As a comedy, the movie succeeds, I laughed a lot. As a romantic comedy, well let's just say that the chemistry was lacking. Just because two people look great together, doesn't really mean a thing.

Just Plain Awful!

[mattymatt4ever · 3/10 · 31 July 2001]

"Head Over Heels" wears out its welcome quickly. I was laughing the first 15 minutes. The introduction is quite funny. But it's all downhill from there. The comedy is so flat and one-dimensional. The characters of the models are complete stereotypes. I can tell the screenwriters didn't do a lick of research on the field. We have a stereotypical Australian woman, who spends day in and day out exfoliating and has a history of incest. I was surprised to find out the actress is a native Australian! Why she thought it was funny to degrade her own people is beyond me. We also have the stereotypical Russian model, with an accent as fake as her looks. All four models remind me of the beauty pageant contestants in "Miss Congeniality," only Sandra Bullock's comic charm couldn't save the day. So we pretty much have nothing to work with in that department. Monica Potter is a fine actress, who's turned in impressive performances--one as Robin Williams' love interest in "Patch Adams." Her job in this movie is to stand around and act wooden, while everyone around her make fools out of themselves. Same goes for Freddie Prinze, Jrs' poorly-drawn character. To prove how shallow "HOH's" humor is, there's a scene where the girls are searching through Freddie's apartment, and for no apparent reason we have a gratuitous bathroom sequence where the girls are hiding in the shower covering their noses while Freddie is on the toilet with the runs. For all you girls out there who want to see this movie because of your boy Freddie...don't even think about it! I'm sure all your fantasies will be terminated. Well, maybe. I'm sure if any hot actress had to perform a mock diarrhea scene, I wouldn't be able to lust after her anymore. But I don't know how it looks through a female's eyes. To add to this film's gratuitously crude humor, there's also a scene where the girls are hiding in a restaurant bathroom. They hear two plumbers in the next stall, who start using phrases like "stick it in the hole" and the girls assume they're having sex. The joke is handled so poorly, and was done much better in "Mickey Blue Eyes." Anyway, the plumbers work on the toilets and BAM!!! Crap comes shooting out of the toilets and onto the girls. These are all jokes that could've been funny, if they were handled with any hint of wit or structure.

Aside from the good introduction, the film meanders on without a laugh. It's like a bad stick of gum that loses its flavor in a minute. One failed gag after another! The filmmakers don't even try to make an honest effort! Unless you'll laugh at practically ANYTHING--and I mean ANYTHING--you will dread this movie!

My score: 3 (out of 10)

Great Mid-week fodder

[thekarmicnomad · 6/10 · 21 August 2012]

I picked this up from a free trial of a movie channel on a random Wednesday evening. I thought it was perfect.

The film has a wide range of comedy from witty sarcasm to toilet humour. The characters (especially the models) are blatant stereotypes but they are not portrayed in a malicious way allowing you to get attached to them. The plot is fairly basic ( a mix of 'Shes all that' and 'Rear Window') but has just enough substance to keep you from drifting off.

Sterling performance from Monica Porter, production, lighting, sound track etc. all to standard.

Don't expect to have your mind blown or injure yourself laughing. Do expect a good solid rom-com you can relax and grin too.

Could Summer Catch be worse?

[afghanwhig · 1/10 · 27 September 2001]

My ex drags me to a lot of movies. More specifically, my ex drags me to a lot of romance movies, and Freedie Prinze Jr. happens to be in a lot of these movies. This is by far his worst work. Not only did he write in his performance, I think he convinced Monica Potter to do so as well. This good guy next door with a serious problem has certainly been done before, and much better, so the script was hacked out as well. Give Freddie credit for picking a script more ambitious than Shes All That I suppose. However, Shalom Harlow does create some comic relief.

Not hilarious, but keeps you smiling.

[Mov-ie-Junk-ie · 7/10 · 3 February 2001]

A goofy date comedy, just like it looked in the ads.

The lesbian character and the models added that little touch of kink that was needed to offset the goody, goody personalities of the main characters.

The models were a little overly stereotypical, and sometimes annoying.

Don't expect more that light hearted fun.