The film grossed over $37 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo) and received mostly lukewarm reactions from critics. Roger Ebert wrote that the film had some "sublime moments" of escapism and that the stars were "likable," but even though the movie "has the materials to be a heartwarming mass-market love story...it doesn't assemble them convincingly." New York Times critic Stephen Holden was a little more harsh in his review, calling the film a "cream puff with a melted marshmallow inside it. As the temperature rises, the whole gooey thing starts to melt."
Despite its negative reviews, the film managed to spawn three sequels. Granted, Stiles didn't appear in any of the followup films and they were all straight-to-video releases, but the first film must have done something right to inspire follow-up films. Though Stiles has not starred in a romantic comedy since the Prince and Me, opting for more action/thriller vehicles like The Bourne franchise and Dexter, she can still be seen on Netflix, which sometimes serves as the perfect time capsule to transport you back to a simpler era.
