In this flat, sour, and contrived comedy, Roger (Jon Heder), a timid New York City parking cop who is overmatched at work and in love, signs up for classes with a macho confidence guru, Dr. P. (Billy Bob Thornton), and, taught to find his inner lion, gets up the nerve to ask out his secret dream girl, his Australian grad-student neighbor, Amanda (Jacinda Barrett).

NEWYORKER: School for Scoundrels

The companies have said the criticisms are distorted, flat-out wrong, sour grapes or worse.

WSJ: Writing on the Wall: Apple's Rotten Side Has A Familiar Look