Why a star-studded comedy about high school grudges became a critical disaster

Entertainment · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Released in 2010, the comedy You Again assembled a powerhouse cast including Betty White, Sigourney Weaver, and Jamie Lee Curtis. Despite this talent, the film was panned by critics as a shallow, misogynistic mess. It remains a curious case study in how even legendary performers cannot always salvage a weak script.

The film follows Marni Olsen, a successful public relations executive who returns home for her brother's wedding, only to discover his bride is her high school tormentor, Joanna. The plot centers on Marni's attempts to expose Joanna's past bullying, leading to a series of escalating confrontations. While the narrative attempts to resolve these conflicts through themes of reconciliation and growth, critics found the execution lacking. The film was directed by Andy Fickman and written by Moe Jelline, with production wrapping in April 2010.

Critical reception was overwhelmingly negative. Rotten Tomatoes awarded the film a 20% approval rating, with an average score of 4.00/10, while Metacritic assigned it a weighted average of 28 out of 100. Reviewers like Stephen Holden of The New York Times described the film as a rancid revenge comedy that masks shallow, materialistic values with forced sentimentality. Richard Roeper was particularly harsh, awarding it an F and labeling it one of the worst movies he had ever seen. Conversely, some viewers found enjoyment in the slapstick humor and musical numbers, and audiences polled by CinemaScore gave it a B+ grade.

Beyond the narrative, the film is notable for its behind-the-scenes trivia. It marked Betty White's final live-action film role before her 2021 death. The production also featured a mini-reunion of cast members from the sitcom Step by Step and included a nod to the legendary rivalry between Betty White and Cloris Leachman on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Commercially, the film was a disappointment, earning approximately $32 million against a $20 million production budget. This performance marked the end of an era for Touchstone Pictures, which shifted its strategy toward partnerships with studios like DreamWorks following the film's release.

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