Netflix’s new release, “Your Place or Mine” stars Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher as best friends and total opposites who swap homes for a week, and end up learning more about each other and the possibility of love.
Many critics praise the stars’ performances, highlighting Witherspoon’s charm and Kutcher’s alluring charisma. Christy Lemire of Rogerbert.com writes, “Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher are great-looking and charismatic, and both have perfectly snappy comic timing.” Tania Hussain of Collider notes, “Witherspoon is, as always, a delight on screen and plays the cute, quirky character unaware of her best friend’s affections most amicably,” while Kutcher has “an alluring charm to him.”
However, many critics also note that the material is not up to par with the star’s talents. Mark Kennedy of APNEWS writes, “The film allows Witherspoon and Kutcher to show off their naturally funny sides, but many of the scenes drag on and sometimes the exposition is chalky.” Owen Gleiberman of Variety concurs, calling the movie “outrageously benign” and “innocuous.”
Brian Lowry for CNN also notes that the film’s structure is a bit of a slog, as it oscillates between the two characters. Meanwhile, Amy Nicholson for The New York Times writes that the movie’s sincerity is measured by how it disposes of its love rivals, with Jesse Williams’s charming literary publisher never getting a fair chance.
Finally, Kate Erbland of IndieWire notes that the movie relies too heavily on predictable plotlines, with not enough conflict to make it truly standout.
Overall, while critics praise the performances of Witherspoon and Kutcher, they find the material to be lacking in comparison.
If your looking for a fun valentine day rom-com to enjoy with your partner, “Your Place or Mine” might not be what you are looking for. However, as said above, the charismatic lead acts make the movie a fun watch if you are okay other shortcomings.
