With the help of a talking freeway billboard, a "wacky weatherman" tries to win the heart of an English newspaper reporter, who is struggling to make sense of the strange world of early-90s Los Angeles.
If the material had been presented more insistently, it might have been insufferable, too goopy and new-age. Its modesty, though, is its prime virtue. It's breezy and light as cloud's breath -- not so much airheaded as air-hearted.
– Hal Hinson,
Washington Post,
1 Jan 2000
fresh:
To borrow from Abe Lincoln: Steve Martin's L.A. Story will make all of the people laugh some of the time, some of the people laugh all of the time but not...well, you know the rest.
– Desson Thomson,
Washington Post,
1 Jan 2000
fresh:
Like Mr. Martin himself, L.A. Story seems basically decent, intelligent and sweet. It's a fanciful romantic comedy whose wildest and craziest notion is that Los Angeles, for all of its eccentricities, is a great place to live.
– Vincent Canby,
New York Times,
20 May 2003
fresh:
Steve Martin's script, a delightfully scatty account of life in the city of angels, exposes romance lurking beyond the snobbish restaurants and routine muggings...
– Geoff Andrew,
Time Out,
9 Feb 2006
fresh:
Goofy and sweet, L.A. Story constitutes Steve Martin's satiric valentine to his hometown and a pretty funny comedy in the bargain.