The final screenplay of a Hollywood legend became a forgotten box office failure

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Released in 2001, the action comedy Just Visiting marked the final writing credit for iconic filmmaker John Hughes. Despite a star-studded cast and a premise involving time-traveling medieval knights in modern Chicago, the film failed to recoup its production budget and was met with largely negative critical reception.

Just Visiting serves as an American remake of the French film Les Visiteurs, with both versions helmed by director Jean-Marie Gaubert. The narrative centers on Count Thibault Malefète, a 12th-century nobleman who accidentally kills his bride, Princess Rosalind, after being drugged by the Earl of Warwick. Seeking redemption, Thibault and his servant, André Le Paté, attempt to use a wizard's potion to travel back in time, only to be transported to 21st-century Chicago instead.

The film explores the culture clash between medieval sensibilities and modern American life. Upon arriving in a museum, the duo is aided by Julia Malefète, a descendant of Thibault who mistakes them for long-lost relatives. While Thibault navigates the complexities of the modern world to protect Julia from her opportunistic fiancé, Hunter Cassidy, André discovers the concept of equal rights through a romance with a gardener named Angelique. The plot concludes with the pair successfully returning to the past to prevent the original tragedy, while Hunter is inadvertently sent to the 12th century.

Despite the involvement of John Hughes, the film struggled significantly. Produced on a budget of $35 million, it earned only $4.8 million domestically and $11.4 million internationally. Critics were largely unimpressed, with Rotten Tomatoes reporting a 33% approval rating and Metacritic assigning a score of 38 out of 100. Interestingly, this negative critical consensus contrasted with audience feedback; viewers polled by CinemaScore awarded the film an average grade of A-.

The legacy of the film is perhaps most notable for its place in the career of John Hughes, serving as the last project to bear his name. Released on home media on September 11, 2001, the film remains a curious footnote in cinematic history, representing a rare instance where a high-profile writer's final work failed to resonate with both critics and the broader commercial market.

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