Metacritic reviews

It’s the height of silliness: An elixir makes two wallflowers (Tate Donovan and Sandra Bullock) irresistible. But the blithe comedy Love Potion #9 is both playful and sweet — and its modest intentions fit the small screen snugly.

Extremely funny, if occasionally misshapen comedy. He shows spurts of technical creativity, but his direction isn't quite up to the level of his writing -- yet. [13 Nov 1992]

Love Potion No. 9 is no great shakes, but far worse comedies are routinely released without a second thought. [13 Nov 1992, p.28]

Writer-producer-director Dale Launer's breezy comedy LOVE POTION NO. 9 is the perfect date movie. It's light and fast-paced, with several funny moments and a predictably happy ending. Don't look for anything beyond that.

Inspired by the 1959 hit song, Dale Launer’s Love Potion No. 9 is a light-hearted one-joke romantic comedy that tries too hard to be cute. Glib humor and emphasis on “feel good” values aim squarely at the dating crowd and twentysomething couples. But lack of real wit and comic vitality, absence of star names and sluggish pace make pic less appealing than it might have been.

It may be charming and unpretentious, but the script of this little film could have used more attention. [18 Nov 1992]

It really would take a love potion to fall for this lifeless comedy. [16 Nov 1992]

It is one of the more pessimistic and repulsive views of the war of the sexes ever put on film. [14 Nov 1992]

Given the premise, which is said to be inspired by the song by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, virtually everything that happens can be predicted from the opening frame.

Love Potion 9 isn't truly terrible, like the recent "Frozen Assets." It even provokes some laughs, but it suffers from terminal mildness.