reviewed by Brian "The Naked Gun" Felts & Benn "Where's the Humanity?" Farrell
So tell me if you have heard this story before; a young, "beautiful," poor women named 'Charlie'
(of course) played by the not so young Jennifer Lopez (Anaconda,) has trouble meeting 'Mr. Right'
until he runs into this handsome young doctor Kevin, played by the insert your name here actor Michael
Vartan (One Hour Photo), and its true love. Everything is great until 'Charlie" meets Kevin's mother,
Viola, a recently out of work, but famous, TV talk show host because she is too old, played by chewing
tobacco free, Jane Fonda (Stanley & Iris.) Viola does not want Kevin to marry such a low class women
as 'Charlie' so she does everything in her power to break up the wedding. My God, what an original
concept, why hasn't Hollywood thought of this before?
I didn't like the movie. It wasn't funny. Many things were mildly amusing but maybe I need to be
a woman with a mother-in-law to understand them. Jane Fonda is a fine actress and still commanded
the screen when she was on it, but comedy is not her stick anymore. It's been 25 years since she
did "Nine to Five," and she doesn't have the comedic timing anymore, especially after a recess of
15 years. Wanda Sykes (Pootie Tang) was the only saving grace of the movie, even though she wasn't
able to save it. Her timing was wonderful and at times she carried both Fonda, and the no talent hack,
in some scenes of the movie. This movie changed my opinion of Wanda Sykes and I hope she continues to
do more work.
Now to the worst part of the film, yes, that would be the no talent hack, Jennifer Lopez. I shouldn't
say that because she does have talent, her performance as Selena, but she has only gone down hill ever
since. There is no creativity in her performance, as a matter of fact, there is nothing to her performance.
Every scene it was as if she was projecting to the audience, "I am J-Lo, you all must love me now." What
she should have done is studied Fonda. Jennifer needs to try something new. I don't know what but these
roles are tiring. Fonda took a chance in making this her come back movie and by doing so took more risks
then Lopez has since Selena. Jennifer, you ain't all that, stop believing your posse, and start applying
yourself again and you can save a once promising career.
With regards to the insert your name actor here, Michael Vartan, he did a nice job but the part could have
been played by Warwick Davis and nobody would have noticed. The story was about the mother-daughter
relationship and Vartan did what he was supposed to do, play the straight man and stay out of the
way.
I am guessing that women will disagree with me and like this movie. Guys, don't waste your time.
I was so sick of the movie after the first hour, I got up and went to the bathroom then went to
the theater next door and watch parts of "Kingdom of Heaven" again. For those of you waiting to
see Fonda, continue to wait, I am sure she will do something better. Jennifer, please fire your
agent and bring in someone he will help you grow as an actress.
Brian - the Naked Gun The only reason I didn't give this picture my wrost rating is because I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Jane Fonda back in cinema released films. Unfortunately, this picture proves to things about this two time Academy Award® winner; one, she's got a great body for her age, and two, she does not belong in comedy. Fonda had moments of fun, but they were few and far between to warrant a higher rating from me. There was maybe three good laughs in the movie overall. What I really dislike about this picutre is the fact it's blatanly targeted at one audience, women who can't stand their mother in laws. Outside of that, I don't think anyone would get a hoot out of this picture. If you're are a guy, being dragged to this movie, you are in for a series of unoriginal jokes and sight gags, far more annoying than toilet paper that tears in the middle. Brian's right is suggesting Vartan showed absolutely no interest in being in this picture. He probably was being yelled at by JLO all the time, being told not to upstage her. However, a dead dog could upstage JLO. From Lopez's opening sigh in her first scene, you could immediately see this piss poor excuse of an actress had NO CLUE where her character was coming from. That is pretty much the downfall of this movie. Lopez not knowing what she was doing, Fonda not knowing what she was doing in a comedy, and Vartan who couldn't care less. JLO throws away so many lines in this movie, I wanted to punch her every time she came on screen. Sykes was fun, but she was also contrived. Her performance was about as believable as Charles Manson selling scented bath oils to Muhammed Ali. Overall, this movie tried way too hard to be a reversed gender version of "Father of the Bride." I say rent "Father of the Bride" and skip this one. Wait for Fonda to get her feet wet and return to a genre more fitting for her benchmark of talent. Fonda may still have talent, but obviously, after 15 years, her AGENT is out of practice, allowing her to do this movie. Benn - Where's the Humanity?
Wow, there are so many reasons why to dislike this movie it is hard to calculate. Strange that
Jane Fonda chose this movie to make a comeback in, and strange that casting directors continue to
cast that no talent hack, Jennifer Lopez, to star in their movies. This movie has been done many
times and now it has been done once too many. Stay away from the movie.