There’s a point in every relationship when one party is dragged by the other to a movie they don’t want to see. Whether it’s an idiotic action movie or an odd artsy film, some are enjoyed and some are despised.

Then, of course, there are the romantic comedies.

These movies can be amazingly awful, and result in wasted time and money by moviemakers and audiences alike.

“America’s Sweethearts” manages to dodge that bullet. While the script has its moments, it’s rather tame. The premise is good, but if it had been made wrong, it could’ve been awful.

The saving grace of the whole thing turns out to be the cast - a nice collection of stars who pull the movie out of the doldrums and provide viewers with an enjoyable movie experience.

John Cusack is the savior of this picture as Eddie, the heartsick film star who, even after a year and a half, is still unable to get over his breakup with wife Gwen (Catherine Zeta Jones). Cusack, a veteran of the genre, adapts well to the mix of lovesick guy/pampered star.

Zeta Jones also does a good job as spoiled superstar actress Gwen - whining, pouting and posing her way through the movie. The audience sympathizes with her one second and despises her the next as Zeta Jones nails her role as a perfect diva.

Of course, Julia Roberts reprises her trademark role as the always-likeable underdog. She plays Kiki, sister and assistant to Gwen and newfound love interest of Eddie.

The whole thing is pretty easy to sum up - Gwen and Eddie are film stars who every movie-watcher loves to see on screen. But Gwen cheats on Eddie, forcing the breakup, and then Gwen starts making bad movies and Eddie seeks peace through Eastern philosophy.

So, as their final movie together is primed for release, studio executives decide it’d be best for the receipts for the two to look as though they’re still romantically linked. So, they set up a press junket in the desert for the new movie, during which Eddie discovers how much he dislikes Gwen and really, really likes Kiki.

But “America’s Sweethearts” is hurt by the obvious shtick stuck in by writer Billy Crystal (who makes an appearance as studio publicist Lee Phillips). The Doberman that can’t stay away from his crotch and the funny code words over the walkie-talkies get old very fast, and mercifully are discarded shortly after being introduced.

This movie is far from being a reason to run to movie theaters, but it’s not something a viewer will regret either. A great collection of actors, a few standard fat and sex jokes, and a decent script all add up to exactly what most romantic comedies do these days - a not-so-bad flick that’s a good compromise for a couple that can’t decide what to do one evening.