| Overall Grade: |
C- |
|
| Story: |
N/A |
|
|
| Acting: |
N/A |
|
|
| Direction: |
N/A |
|
|
| Visuals: |
N/A |
|
|
Good premise gone bad
by Yahoo! Movies User (movies profile)
Aug 23, 2006
27
of
37 people found this review helpful
This is a one-joke movie: a relationship-counselor hears intimate details of her son's sexual activities from one of her patients, who, unbeknownst to her, is dating the son. When the counselor/mom accidentally awakens to the truth, it makes for several hilarious scenes, as she (alone in her knowledge) fields detail after detail from her patient, all the while attempting to hide her skyrocketing discomfort. All this is revealed in the movie's ad campaign, so the set-up is no surprise to anyone who buys a ticket, seeking some sort of entertainment gratification from how this premise will resolve. Unfortunately, resolution comes much too late, and it's not particularly gratifying. Central to the disappointment is the lack of substance in the boy-girl relationship at the movie's core. They're both really attractive and really nice, and they have great sex together, and that's about it. In a movie like this, the only drama is "will they or won't they end up together," and, of course, all the typical syrupy contrivances are in place to sway the moviegoer toward pulling for their union. I, for one, was pulling the other way. Like so many other movies, this one's best pieces all appeared in the previews. Still, fans of Meryl Streep (the counselor/mom) should consider attending in order to watch her ply her craft. She is spectacular, as usual, and not only in the comic scenes but also in quieter moments in which she is pitch-perfect as a mother who cares both for her son and for her patient. Regrettably, her performance is the only compelling reason to watch. |
My Public Profile 
