On the Line
Metascore
34 out of 100

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 23 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 23
  3. Negative: 8 out of 23
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  1. Washington Post
    Reviewed by: Richard Harrington
    70
    Harmless romantic and musical high jinks abound, and sentimentality prevails.
  2. The New York Times
    Reviewed by: Stephen Holden
    60
    Once you've accepted the notion that On the Line gives product placement in movies a blatant new prominence, the film turns out to be a soothing cinematic snack of milk and cookies.
  3. Variety
    Reviewed by: Joe Leydon
    60
    Perfectly harmless, often humorous, featherweight confection -- think "Serendipity" re-imagined as a teen-skewing Saturday morning sitcom.
  4. Portland Oregonian
    Reviewed by: Kim Morgan
    58
    'N Sync is bouncy, harmless fun. And so is this stupid movie.
  5. Miami Herald
    Reviewed by: Connie Ogle
    50
    On the Line's cutesy premise is no more ridiculous than that of most romantic comedies.
  6. Philadelphia Inquirer
    Reviewed by: Carrie Rickey
    50
    Peppy, painless and -- happily -- not altogether brainless.
  7. San Francisco Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Mick LaSalle
    50
    The movie has some clumsy dialogue and awkward turns, but the picture is brisk and likable.
  8. USA Today
    Reviewed by: Claudia Puig
    50
    When so many PG-13 movies are encroaching on R-rated turf, it's heartening to see a film that responsibly approaches its audience.
  9. Boston Globe
    Reviewed by: Jay Carr
    50
    In the end, it's much ado about not very much, certainly not enough to catapult Bass into a film career, but probably enough to satisfy 'N Sync fans.
    All this critic's reviews
  10. Entertainment Weekly
    Reviewed by: Owen Gleiberman
    50
    On the Line would like to be ''Serendipity'' for the Oxy-and-Skechers set, but it feels more like the worst movie Michael J. Fox never made.
  11. Chicago Reader
    Reviewed by: Lisa Alspector
    50
    The consistency with which the plot turns on characterization instead of contrivance makes this movie better than many of its supposedly grown-up competitors.
  12. Mr. Showbiz
    Reviewed by: Kevin Maynard
    40
    The only reason to sit through On the Line is for some entertaining, if fleeting, musical moments.
    All this critic's reviews
  13. Film Threat
    Reviewed by: Michael Dequina
    40
    Not a good film. In fact, it's a rather bad example of that already barrel-bottom-scraping genre, the teenybopper romantic comedy.
  14. Village Voice
    Reviewed by: Ed Park
    40
    Less a romance than a feature-length plug for 'N Sync and its personalities -- and so, like all ads, not meant for "conscious consumption." Which opens the blissful avenue of sleep.
  15. Los Angeles Times
    Reviewed by: Gene Seymour
    40
    Sophisticated romantic comedy for people who think "Corky Romano" is trenchant political satire.
  16. TV Guide
    Reviewed by: Steve Simels
    30
    Let's be blunt: Bass can't really act.
  17. L.A. Weekly
    Reviewed by: Chuck Wilson
    30
    Bass isn't a gifted actor, but he retains his dignity, mostly by keeping his head down and avoiding the eyes of the idiots around him.
  18. Chicago Sun-Times
    Reviewed by: Roger Ebert
    25
    An agonizingly creaky movie that laboriously plods through a plot so contrived that the only thing real about it is its length.
  19. New York Daily News
    Reviewed by: Elizabeth Weitzman
    25
    Whether he's the victim of poor directing or misguided ambition, Bass is almost entirely charisma-free.
  20. New York Post
    Reviewed by: Lou Lumenick
    25
    More "it stinks" than *NSYNC.
  21. New Times (L.A.)
    Reviewed by: Robert Wilonsky
    20
    This pallid little ditty, like the rest of Lance Bass and pals' oeuvre, is soulless, banal and derivative.
  22. Seattle Post-Intelligencer
    Reviewed by: Paula Nechak
    16
    Though the pop idol recently said that movies are his ultimate goal, the best thing about On the Line is its music.
  23. Austin Chronicle
    Reviewed by: Kimberley Jones
    11
    Instantly forgettable.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.4 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 7 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. JimboM.
    10
    Amazing! I was hard the whole time and couldn't conceal it!
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