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Although In the Mix was not screened for critics, a few of them braved generally bad weather over most of the country Wednesday to stand in line, pay for their tickets, and watch an early screening like every other moviegoer. Their reviews turned out to be the sort that studio execs probably anticipated. All of the critics appear to agree that the filmmakers' entire effort was devoted to creating a vehicle that would attract fans of the film's star, Usher. On that level, it works, Boston Herald critic Chelsea Bain suggests. "Considering his current appeal, this standard, cheesy mobster tale is a flick his fans, at the very least, will enjoy," she writes. Similarly, Bob Longino comments in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Everywhere he goes in Mix, it seems, women see Usher and sigh. Which defines pretty much what Mix is all about. It's a virtual vanity project designed to sell the image of the Grammy-winning R&B star." Anita Gates in the New York Times observes that such "one-dimensional" films were common in the 1930s and '40s and were always built around star-appeal. The star, in this case, receives mostly so-so notices. Christy Lemire of the Associated Press writes that while Usher "does have a certain undeniable charisma, what he's doing in his first starring role can't exactly be called acting." Blame the script, suggests Bob Strauss in the Los Angeles Daily News. "Though Usher exhibits the easy, likable charm we've seen him radiate in smaller film roles and on TV, there's just nothing the least bit credible for him or anyone else to hang a character onto in this lightweight yet leaden romantic crime comedy," he remarks. |
