User reviews

..that separate good, memorable movies from movies like this. Its not entertaining, touching, funny, interesting and at times feels a little sub-human. The principals act like they are other-worldly, in the worse way, when they are supposed to be relating to each other and the audience.

Starts out conventionally enough. Rich kid gets new car for graduation but the dean says he can't have the car until after the ceremony. Goes joy-riding nonetheless, and stops in the diner on the wrong side of the tracks for a quick argument with the local yokels. Wise-asses the waitress/girlfriend of the head yokel. Shockingly, they play chicken until they accidentally burn down the diner they left three minutes earlier (aren't all diners five feet from the gas station?).

They told they have to Pay The Price in court, so the only reason to get this 'fish out of water' to stay in town is to come up with the scenario that both boys have to assist in the rebuilding of the diner. Worse than that, the rich kid in staying with the family of the un-rich kid..in the room above the attic. That 'room above the attic' has rescued many a person in need of a bed..

Rich kid inexplicably is treated well by the girlfriend, who never mentions to him that he nearly killed her. This does not bode well, of course, with her boyfriend, and is never fully explained. You don't know why Sam (Leelee Sobieski) falls for Kelley (Chris Klein), or why Jasper (Josh Hartnett) allows it.

Chris Klein is tolerable, Leelee completely intolerable, and Josh does not register much of an impression. The character with the most life is the judge that sentences Kelley and Jasper to help re-build the diner. She gets off at least one funny remark, which is more than anyone else does. Everyone is so morose and humorless that you will feel a little sill if you even think of smiling while the movie is on.

The ending is one way to end the piece, not the most original, but at least it was over. I don't enjoy trashing a movie that some little girl somewhere in the world might really love, but since I am not one, I have to. The nicest thing I can say about this movie is that its not mean-spirited, and although it fails to compel, its innocence and home-spun, corny dialogue comes from a nice place. 4/10.

This film is a genuine five-hanky tearjerker that slathers on the schmaltz thick as marmalade. The story begins with a rivalry between a group of prep school boys and local townies that have a reckless car race that ends up burning down a local diner and gas station. The judge sentences the two drivers to a summer of community service rebuilding the diner. Kelley (Chris Klein) is a spoiled rich boy with attitude. Jasper (Josh Hartnett) is a local hick with a good heart and a bad temper. Needless to say, the two boys hate each other. To complicate matters, Jasper's girlfriend Samantha (Leelee Sobieski) is developing a serious case of the hots for Kelley. They begin an affair complete with dewy looks, running through fields, stolen glances and every other schmaltzy film technique ever invented.

The prep/townie rivalry escalates into a love triangle with all the foreseeable showdowns and confrontations. Just when everyone is working themselves into a good lather it is discovered that Samantha is seriously ill. Pass the Kleenex.

The film has some very sweet moments but the story is far too formulaic and predictable. It has the feel of a TV movie, which is not surprising since director Mark Piznarski has mostly TV projects on his resume. To his credit, the cinematography was beautiful and his choice of locations was superb. The overlook scenes were particularly lovely.

Chris Klein gave an adequate performance, but was not very dynamic and a little stiff. I felt that he was much better in `American Pie' playing a more sincere character. He seems like too nice a guy to play this spoiled and arrogant rich kid. Leelee Sobieski was a good choice for Samantha. She comes across as very vulnerable and sweet. She was adept at capturing the delicate teenage balance between tentativeness and determination. I actually liked Josh Hartnett better than I did Klein. Perhaps he was better suited for his character, but he seemed a lot more believable as Jasper.

This is a great chick flick. It is sentimental, romantic, endearing and sad. Guys are likely to spend most of the movie writhing in their seats. Unfortunately, it wasn't very original and suffered from too many clichés. I rated it a 6/10. Add one or two points if you like sentimental romances and another if you like a movie that makes you cry. A good film for girls' night out.

In "Hear On Earth", Sobieski is a small town girl who's been with Harnett forever. Enter Klien, a spoiled rich kid with a bad attitude who burns down her family's restaurant in a chicken race, and Sobieski falls head over heels in love with him because (a) she sees him naked to the waist and sweaty and (b) they like the same poem. Duh.

If you sucked the Kodak moments out of this poorly written sophomoric claptrap, you'd be left with a poorly acted thin story which is completely predictable, obvious, and wreaking. Don't waste your time.

Plot

A rich college kid is taught a lesson after a joy ride ends up destroying a country restaurant.

Cast

A stellar cast featuring Chris Klein, Josh Hartnett, Josh Hartnett, Michael Rooker, Bruce Greenwood and Annette O'Toole even though she's offensively underused here.

Verdict

The movie starts relatively well, sure the characters come off as obnoxious but the fantastic 90's rock soundtrack really sets the tone and the film had my attention. Sadly that's the only time it had my attention for a good reason, I had a chip on my shoulder for the entire film because of the themes.

Without spoilers the core theme is girl loves boy, boy loves girl bad boy who is a horrible character with no redeeming features and is presented as an arrogant tool throughout comes along, girl cheats on boy with dirtbag and that's actually a love story. You think that's the setup for a story of forgiveness and redemption? Nope, that is the story.

Who is this for? A love triangle featuring two scumbags and the victim caught in it all. The film actually made me angry that this is not only the way it played out but also that this was presented as love and romance. One reviewer's title is talking about when you find love you need to hold onto it, whereas this film is about the literal opposite.

Disgusting film, I have no idea what they were thinking when they made this.

Rants

Who has been cheated on here? Raise your hand. I'm betting if you're reading this you have been. Do you think your ex (Hopefully you had the good sense to walk away) could be constituted as a the good guy in that story? No, cheaters are scum in every sense of the word. Don't want to be with someone? Don't be with them, but don't break their heart and don't make movies where the heartbreaker is made out to be a good person and the theme to be about "Love".

Breakdown

Great soundtrack Solid cast Awful premise Dreadful characters.

...but it only took one to write Here On Earth (2000).

PLEASE DON'T WATCH THIS MOVIE.

This movie is horrible. North Korea could use this film to torture dissidents. The acting is rigid, the dialogue predictable, the plot unoriginal but still contrived... I wouldn't watch this again if someone paid me. I'd rather slam my skull against a brick wall than watch this again. I'd rather drown in a vat of bleach than watch this again. I'd rather watch Gigli or North or anything starring Chris Farley.

This movie should have been categorized "Horror". The only thing romantic about this film is the credits. I've seen more chemistry in a jug of water. Drama is calling out dialogue before the actors do, just to see how often I can get it right, except that drama requires conflict and I just kept getting the dialogue right.

I saw a trailer for this movie and was very intrigued. While none of the actors were "stars" at the time it was made, they're all very talented and I had high hopes this would be something unique and entertain that I would tell my friends to watch.

I'd get thrown in front of a train if I recommended this to any friends. If you can't find the DVD, check a furniture store. I think they're using them as shims on the short leg of a table. Hospitals are using it to teach amputees to run.

This isn't even something that makes a fun drinking game. It's just a BAD movie. The acting is especially awful when one considers how talented many of the players are. Writer Michael Seitzman also wrote North Country, a movie I'll now be avoiding like the plague.

I think "The Plague" was a working title for Here On Earth.

This is director Mark Piznarski's only feature film, his credits including television shows, TV movies, and the sixth director for a documentary about drying paint. I wonder how he can sleep at night.

No animals were harmed in the making of this film, but many reputations were.

2 out of 10: It's. Just. Bad. Please don't watch this.

The move now feels like from a time that has gone by. I found the movie to be well casted. I thought that Klein was perfect as the rich WASPY preppy.

This is a very unusual film which starts out with a rich dude getting a brand new sports car for graduation and decides to take it for a spin in the local town. Rich boy meets poor girl in 'Mabels Diner'who is a waitress and local boy friend gets very upset and a fight starts out. There is a car chase and all kinds of problems seem to take place and the Rich boy and Poor boy wind up having to do Community Service as ordered by the town judge. Rich boy and Poor boy just do not get along and the Rich boy winds up winning the heart and soul of the poor boy's girl friend. There are plenty of walks in the woods and poetry is quoted and some very deep thoughts about life. Poor Girl says, "Some people go through life and never find Love, I can say that I found love and am holding on to It". You will need some tissue's if you are sensitive, there are plenty of romantic scenes and I doubt very much if you will guess how this picture will end. The producer and director came up with a good idea and finally put an end to a film. If you like true to life stories with poetry and very sensitive subjects, this is your film.

We just rented this movie, because we all happen to like Josh Hartnett. I thought that the movie would be a disappointment, but we ended up watching it three times that night! I thought that Josh was excellent. Of course, there is one more thing.. I don't think that this is a "guys" movie.. so all of you guys out there.. I think you should pass this one! a romantic eye-tearing movie!

This movie was one of the worst I have ever seen. There were so many problems with both the story and the actors that it's unbelievable that someome actually gave the go-ahead to release it. For starters, the story is lame. It is a movie based entirely on a love triangle with three unlikable characters; consequently, no one cares who ends up with who. This story moves at a snail's pace, at some points almost impossible to watch. The audience is supposed to identify with Samantha, a small town waitress who is bored with her life and her nice-but-not-so-bright boyfriend, Jasper. I can understand that. However, it's impossible to feel sorry for this girl, or understand her actions, because of the way she shamelessly chases after the rich spoiled jerk, Kelly, who looked down on her, her boyfriend, her family, and her town because they were poorer, AND the horrendous way she treats her longtime boyfriend. She runs around with Kelly, making out with him in public, right in front of Jasper's best friend, all without having the decency to tell Jasper she's cheating on him, then callously dumps him, telling him flat out she'd rather be with his enemy, then leaves him to for all she knows commit suicide or beg in the streets or whatever, because if she doesn't hurry, Kelly will leave without her. So Kelly and Sam both prove to be selfish and uncaring of who they hurt. Jasper is the only mildly likeable character, but even he is hard to watch, drooling after undeserving Sam is as bad as Sam drooling over undeserving Kelly. And by the time the climax comes, Sam is so unlikeable you just really don't care what happens to her.

Finally, this weak plot may have worked(not likely, but possibly) if they had chosen some different actors. Leelee is a talented actress- in supporting roles. She has neither the charisma nor talent to carry a movie- especially a weak plot like this one. And Chris Klein (Kelly) does a great job with comedy, but he lacks the talent to make Kelly anything more than a one dimensional shallow rich guy. Josh Hartnett did okay, but wasn't given very much to go on. Jasper also comes across very one dimensional.

The producers/directors/whoever was in charge clearly did not read the script, but was just counting on the casting of 2 popular heartthrobs and the soundtrack by teen idol Jessica Simpson to make this movie a success for the 12-18 female demographic. Let's hope that's what they were shooting for; if they were trying to do anything else they failed miserably.

Rich vs. poor. Big city vs. small town. White collar vs. blue collar. These things are not original themes in movies. So when one chooses to involve these themes, the situational story-line had better be very original, or very good. This one was neither. I never believed in the romance of the two young lovers in this movie. Neither convincing nor compelling, it just fell flat. Don't bother, even with a video rental.

I watched this movie to see the direction one of the most promising young talents in movies was going. Unfortunately, with this movie, Leelee Sobieski has chosen a path not only well worn, but completely free of any meaningful destination. This movie used every hackneyed trick in the book to leave the screen, tap you on the shoulder and politely ask if it can have your heartstrings so that it may give them a good tug. Romance can be done well, and when it is, the viewer is left feeling the love portrayed on screen. During the emotional climax of this movie, I laughed. Heartily. To save you the time and money, I would suggest, instead of seeing this movie, you have a meal of Karo syrup and Velveeta. It's about the same.

Except the script was HIDEOUS. I felt sorry for the actors trying to make something out of this not so interesting, yet sweet story. The lines were so obscenely cliché I couldn't take it. Sobieski and Klein in particular looked uncomfortable delivering their lines. Hartnett had a better part and is a wonderful actor - he was the only character with any substance, probably because he got totally screwed. Could have done without Klein's mommy issues in the film, which excused him from being a total jackass. Otherwise, it's a nice story about being young and in love and feeling torn.

I recommend this film if you want to watch something sweet without complexities.

Boring... lame... boring... stupid... lame... more words to describe this? Who cares about this pathetic girl??? She cheats on her boyfriend with an arrogant, pathetic loser... I suppose they deserve each other... the only character in the film who has a backbone and decency is the poor kid's best friend...

Don't waste your time, I've already done that for you...

Here on Earth was beautiful. Every actor was superbly cast in their role. The plot was set so I thought there could be no happy ending, but I was content with the final result. This movie was much smarter than other movies that star teens. I loved it!

This was a sad waste of two such promising actors. Chris Klein's character was unlikable from the start and never made an improvement. What did she see in him?? He was rarely kind, never thankful for what he does have...and a coward. Pass this one by on the shelves. You'll be glad you did.

All I have to say is that this movie is the bomb. You are going to cry when you see this. I mean, this is a reminder for everyone how hard and easy it is to fall in love. It reminds you of the days during your youth when you were carefree and everything that was bad for you was washed away with a single kiss. Even though I am still a teen, this is how I live my life. When I am with that certain someone, everything that was negative in my mind was erased. So, I give this movie a 10 for it's heartfelt message and touching plot. Actors Josh Hartnett and Chris Klein I also give a 10 for having a cute face.

The only reason I gave the movie such a high rating was because I loved the cast. But the movie is definitely flawed.

Rich boy meets poor town. Gets into a car chase and burns down the cafe. But in the end it comes down to winning the heart of a girl. We get to see a little bit of both worlds as this slow love story unravels. It's not terrible, but its not great either. A Walk To Remember had a very similar plot and did it much better than this movie. I was not expecting the ending, it was sad.

One of the flaws is there isn't much to the main characters. I love Leelee Sobieski she's great, but Chris Klein doesn't compliment her that well. He is very soft and tender. But her character is also soft and tender. There needed to be more drama, a little fire. Too much of the same thing isn't a good thing. Unfortunately the story almost becomes boring. There were too many scenes that were similar. Not enough drama to pull the viewer in. The beginning was great, heated. It started off strong, but then it peters out.

They did have a great cast list with well known actors and actresses. That was the most enjoyable part of the movie.