Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Jane
Fonda, Michael Vartan, Wanda Sykes
Cert: 12A
Released:13th May 2005
Charlie (Lopez) is such a ‘nice’
girl. She holds down multiple temp jobs and does whatever she can for whoever
needs her without complaint. She is happy with the company of two close friends
and does not see the necessity to date. Until, that is, she bumps into Doctor
Kevin Fields (Vartan).
At the same time, Kevin’s mother, Viola (Fonda) discovers that her high
profile anchorwoman job is being passed to a younger woman which sends her into
a breakdown. She’s been replaced in her job and now finds herself being replaced
in her family so endeavours to find a crack in Charlie’s pristine character and
expose her as a gold-digger or suchlike.
At first Charlie puts up with her future mother-in-law’s erratic
behaviour presuming it’s a side affect of the breakdown but soon starts to fight
fire with fire.
If you can get passed the crazy
notion that J-Lo can’t get a boyfriend and lives happily on the verge of poverty
you should find this an easy film to get in to. And it is worth giving it a
chance because the film soon bursts into life when Fonda hits the screen.
Whereas Lopez and Vartan have a few comedic moments during their initial
courtship all the best lines and scenes are given to Fonda and her much-put-upon
PA, Ruby (Sykes).
Fonda is devious, malicious, scheming and insane, and Sykes, although
loyal to the overprotective mother, is belligerent, sarcastic and sassy. Lopez
starts off quirky and amiable but kicks into high gear when it’s her turn to
play the scheming witch. Both she and Fonda are comfortable with a bit of
slapstick and certainly not afraid of humiliating themselves for the sake of
their art (even though one scene looks like it was taken straight from Will
Smith’s Hitch) which includes looking
foolish as well as a great bitch-slapping contest.
The story is easy on the brain and lacks any real surprises but is awash
with inspired set pieces and colourful characters with sharp dialogue.
Monster-In-Law is a
surprisingly decent film certainly made more special due to Fonda’s triumphant
return from a fifteen year absence from the big screen.
