Reading Roger Ebert's review of 17 Again recently, I looked at the three-star rating at the top and thought, "Man, Ebert's really jumped the shark, huh?" Then I thought about again: I've been reading his reviews for years, and it's pretty rare that I disagree with the guy. He wouldn't have any positive words for a movie that didn't have any positive words. It made me think: Why do I read reviews? Why does anyone read reviews.
A friend of my compared a review to a letter from a friend abroad: If he had a good time there, he'll try to make you want to come check it out for yourself. If he got dysentery from the tapwater, he'll want you to know that too. In short, the writer is relaying his or her personal experience.
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