# The 2002 Angelina Jolie movie Roger Ebert hated: “Elbows sticking out where the knees should be”

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-2002-angelina-jolie-movie-roger-ebert-hated-elbows-sticking-out-where-the-knees-should-be/
- Published: 2026-07-13T16:45:00+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-14T19:51:51+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/angelina-jolie-movie-roger-ebert-hated/
- Topics: Entertainment, Film

## Key points

- Ebert strongly disliked Jolie’s 2002 film *Life or Something Like It*
- The article treats it as a notable career misfire
- The film was both critically panned and commercially weak

## Summary

The article revisits Roger Ebert’s strong dislike of *Life or Something Like It*, the 2002 Angelina Jolie film he reportedly singled out for especially harsh criticism. It frames the film as a notable misfire in Jolie’s career, showing how even a major star vehicle could be undone by weak writing and an unconvincing story. The piece matters mainly as a look at how influential critics such as Ebert could shape the reputation of a film long after its release.

The film starred Jolie as a successful TV reporter whose life is thrown off course after a prediction that she will soon die, pushing her into a romantic and personal re-evaluation. The article places Ebert’s criticism alongside the film’s wider poor reception: it was released in 2002, drew largely negative reviews, and underperformed commercially. For context, the film reportedly grossed about $16.9 million against a $40 million budget, and it has since remained one of the less well-regarded titles in Jolie’s catalogue.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.