Box office During its opening weekend,
Jawbreaker earned $1,603,425 at the United States
box office, ranking number 13. A number of film critics noted the film's similarities to
Heathers (1988), deeming it derivative as a result. Desson Howe of
The Washington Post compared the film negatively against
Heathers, concluding: "Unfortunately,
Jawbreaker fails to answer the unspoken question it raises: Why sit through a lesser imitation?"
Mary Elizabeth Williams of
Salon also commented on the film's parallels to
Heathers, writing that it "fancies itself a wicked satire on youth, death and the disposability of image...
Jawbreaker may promise a series of gleefully cheap thrills, but in the end all it delivers is a whole lot of bad taste." Lisa Alspector of the
Chicago Reader also deemed the film as "derivative," adding: "Lame shock scenes, crucial plot points inserted without setups, and an unsuccessful attempt to exploit the camp value of some actors cast in minor parts are the least of the problems in this black comedy." Paul Tatara, writing for
CNN, was unimpressed by the film's exaggerated visual elements and lambasted McGowan's performance in the film, though he wrote favorably of Gayheart's performance, noting: "There's something invitingly earthy and open about her, even as she's caught up in the director's empty, film-school shenanigans."
Roger Ebert gave the film one and a half out of four stars, stating, "The movie is a slick production of a lame script ... If anyone in the plot had the slightest intelligence, the story would implode."
James Berardinelli gave the film a more favorable two and a half out of four stars, calling it "palatable, and occasionally even clever", but concluding, "while the film offers more than a
Heathers rehash, it never fully develops its own identity".
Janet Maslin of
The New York Times praised the film's style, noting that "Stein plays enthusiastically with every spinning circle and candylike prop he can find. The film's bright look and visual energy are much more liberating than the machinations of its teen queens." The
Milwaukee Journal Sentinels Nick Carter also gave the film a favorable assessment, praising it as "a low-level cult classic, good for future rewind moments."
Kevin Thomas of the
Los Angeles Times praised the film's direction, assessing it as a "wickedly hilarious send-up of high school mores" with a "dark view of teenagers." McGowan was nominated for the
MTV Movie Award for
Best Villain, but lost to
Matt Dillon for ''
There's Something About Mary.'' ==Legacy==