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Dreamworks launched a $ 10 million marketing campaign for the movie that was centered on the appeal of Biggs and Ricci to attract a teenage audience to the film.

Trailers, TV ads and posters for the film seemed to hide the fact that the film was written and directed by Allen, perhaps due to his last few films being underperformers at the box office.

Roger Ebert noted in his review of the film that “ it ’ s as if they have the treasure of a Woody Allen movie and they ’ re trying to package it for the American Pie crowd .” The film was a flop stateside, opening at # 12 its opening weekend and grossing only $ 3. 2 million.

As has become common with Allen ’ s films, it performed better overseas, grossing $ 10. 3 million, but could not make back its $ 18 million shooting budget or the $ 10 million Dreamworks spent marketing the film.