The film was originally planned to be released on September 17, 2010, but was moved to February 4, 2011. The trailer was shown with Devil and Burlesque.
After initial success became realized when the film earned $15.6 million in receipts to top the box office during its debut weekend in the United States, concerns continued. By that time, the image of the building had been replaced on the film's official website and on subsequent promotional material. The photo of the building reportedly was licensed from iStockPhoto based in Calgary, Alberta. As of February 8, 2011, no lawsuits had been filed but discussions had taken place.
Students at the school reported "mixed feelings" about the topic – some believed that it may have been helpful for the college and others reported that they saw how it could have been harmful to the school's image.
The Roommate was given negative reviews by critics. As of May 30, 2014, the film held a 4% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 84 reviews with a consensus of it being "Devoid of chills, thrills, or even cheap titillation, The Roommate isn't even bad enough to be good." CinemaScore polls indicated a "B−" rating from audiences.
