review for It Had to Be You on AllMovie

It Had to Be You (2000)
by Buzz McClain review

Michael Vartan does his best Hugh Grant, and Natasha Henstridge even has her hair in a Julia Roberts pixie, but the respective star power is a few watts dimmer than had the source inspirations been cast. The meet-cute narrative is strictly by the numbers, and the romantic elements of this romantic comedy outweigh the comedic moments by five to one, but there are worse ways to spend an evening. The successful scenes are donated by a colorful cast of good comic secondary characters, including Michael Rispoli and Olivia D'Abo. Yes, it's hokey -- particularly the get-out-your-hankie ending, but this one is ideal date-bait for couch potatoes.