We rented Monster-in-Law the other night and, scratched DVD aside (no extras), it was quite an enjoyable movie.
It is all based on a simple concept Charlie (Charlotte) meets Kevin, who seems to be the perfect man Surgeon, nice, notices things, etc etc. The problems begin when Charlie meets Kevins mother Viola. Viola has been through a number of husbands and has only Kevin left; shes also been a famous TV presenter whos just been kicked out of her job and replaced by a much younger model, so shes not feeling in the best of mental health. Actually shes just come out of psychiatric rehabilitation, and when she meets Charlie, shes not impressed. (Shes a temp!) A battle royale ensues as they try to drive each other completely made, and eventually theres a gooey ending in sight possibly.
Thats really all there is to it. It is quite a funny film with one or two very funny moments, and Jennifer Lopez (Charlie) and Jane Fonda (Viola) do okay in their roles. Somehow I thought neither of them were really completely convincing and their timing wasnt brilliant, but they still had one or two moments. (I have to confess that one of the main reasons I wanted to watch this film was to see the scene where J-Lo gets slapped, but even this was only vaguely satisfying!) Michael Vartan (Kevin) is given little to do except play the nice guy, and really I felt that the script was so-so, whereas the idea had a lot more potential than is realised here. In fact, without Wanda Sykes (Ruby, Violas long-time friend and I think employee), the film might have been a complete disaster. Her character is genuinely funny and Sykes has a perfect sense of comic timing. There were some decent performances in the supporting cast, with Adam Scott giving a pretty good performance as Charlies neighbour. His character is easily the most interesting in the film because hes the only one you cant read completely in the first scene theyre in. Elaine Stritch as Gertrude, one of Violas ex-mother-in-laws, completely steals the scene in her short time on screen.
The storyline is, on the whole, pretty mundane, with one or two good ideas but generally predictable. There is a fair bit of slapstick, some of which is funny, and theres not really much humour in the dialogue. Just once or twice something genuinely amusing is said, but too much of the comedy element just relies on facial expressions.
Other than that, theres really not a great deal to say about the film. The musical score was okay, the cinematography was up to the job, and the sets were well done. This is basically another case of a good idea not living up to its potential. I kind of enjoyed it but wouldnt greatly recommend it, there are a lot of better romantic comedies out there.
Other Information
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for sex references and language.
Runtime: 101 min
Jennifer Lopez was nominated for a Razzie award for her role in the film.
Quotes
Violas last interview:
(With a Britney Spears looakalike)
Viola Fields: What do you do for fun?
Pop Star: I love watching really old movies. They're my favorite.
Viola Fields: Really? Really? Which ones?
Pop Star: Well, "Grease" and "Grease II." Um, "Benji." I love "Benji." "Free Willy," um..."Legally Blonde," "The Little Mermaid."
-------
They were always destined to be good friends
Viola Fields: Marriage is a sacred union which must only be entered with the utmost care.
Charlotte Cantilini: Weren't you married four times?
After losing her job, a woman decides to turn into the worst mother-in-law ever in order to scare off her son's fiancee, whom she feels is threatening...More at HotMovieSale.com
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