In the Land of Women (PG-13)
Mike:
Scott:
Scott: Tonight we are reviewing In the Land of Women
, a movie starring Adam Brody as Carter Webb, who journey's to visit his Grandmother and recoup from the end of a rough breakup.
What did you think Mike?
Mike: I know it’s hard to believe because I have been accused of liking everything, but I did not like this movie. There sure is a lot of talking but there seems to be no point to this movie. It goes nowhere.
What about you?
Scott: I was disappointed. I thought that with Meg Ryan, I would have some interest in the movie, but I didn't. It's not a romantic comedy, or coming of age, or awakening movie. I didn't know what it was, and it didn't know what it was either.
It was a snapshot of what was supposed to be traumatic events in the characters lives, but I never felt that the events were all that traumatic to them.
Mike: To me the most interesting thing is that Webb ends up kissing the mom, Sarah Hardwicke (Meg Ryan), and the daughter Lucy Hardwicke (Kristen Stewart). But if you have seen the trailer, then you already know that.
Scott: We find out early in the movie that something is wrong with Sarah. I thought the movie would be more about her illness than anything else, but it wasn't. It couldn't decide how it wanted to treat anything.
The only thing I did learn is that talking in the middle of the road is popular in their town.
Mike: Because, miraculously, it is the only neighborhood street in America with no traffic. Strike that, British Columbia, with no traffic.
Like everything else, Meg's illness is thrown in for no apparent reason.
Scott: I think that the illness was supposed to be key to the movie, but it wasn't.
The movie starts off with some small laughs and makes you think it will be that way for the rest of the movie.
Mike: That would be a no.
Scott: This is my first time seeing Brody and I really didn't like what we got out of him. He seemed to be passing through the movie and not stopping and making himself known.
Mike: Adam Brody is the main character Carter Webb. Not ever having watched the OC, I kept thinking Greg Brady from The Brady Bunch Movie. He’s not quite the leading man that they want to make him out to be. He seems kind of dorky, but everyone is coming to him for advice or help. Frankly, I'm not sure why.
Scott: It was because he was older. He was this magical age where you can hang out with 40+ year old women and teenagers and get away with it and make out with them like you said.
Mike: The older woman befriending him was possible, but I thought the relationship with the teenage girl was unrealistic and forced.
Scott: They needed conflict; I guess it was to make the movie interesting
Mike: He comes to Michigan (British Columbia) to look after his Grandmother, Olympia Dukakis. I thought some of their scenes together would be funny, but I would be wrong.
Scott: Her character gets old quick, and I don't mean chronologically.
Mike: I also think it's supposed to be funny that his profession is a writer of soft core porn movies, but it’s just odd.
Scott: I thought it was funny, but after 20 minutes they forget about it and stop referring to it. They could have used it for another joke or two, but they didn't. Maybe some kind of Cyrano de Bergerac scene.
Mike: The one funny line is "She really must have wanted high speed internet" If you see the movie you will remember it, because it is pretty much the only funny line. That will make sense if you get roped into seeing this gem.
Scott: The one bright spot in the movie is Kristen Stewart. She steals the movie away from Ryan. She reminded me of a young Téa Leoni.
Mike: Unfortunately, I'm not sure if I like her because she is good, or because she is so cute. Either way, she is very likeable.
Scott: I thought she played the young teenager well. She was possibly the one person in the movie with good lines and she did well with them.
Mike: I didn't realize I had seen her before, but she was in Zathura, Cold Creek Manor and Panic Room. Granted she was pretty young in those roles, so it’s not hard to miss that it’s the same girl.
Scott: I thought I saw her before, but I didn't. I saw Panic Room, but she was so young, I wouldn't have associated that girl with her in this movie.
Mike: This movie also wastes both JoBeth Williams and Ginnifer Goodwin, two good actresses that are given about 5 minutes of screen time each.
JoBeth plays Carter's mom Agnes, and after the very beginning of the movie she completely disappears and is never even mentioned again.
Scott: I didn't understand that either. I guess it was to show Webb's isolation with his Grandmother.
Mike: Try sloppy writing. I think the writers forgot she was in the movie.
Scott: Jon Kasdan wrote and directed the movie. This is his directorial debut.
Mike: I'm sorry to say he does not seem to have inherited his father Lawrence Kasdan's talent for writing and directing. Lawrence’s first film was Body Heat, the excellent film noir thriller with William Hurt and Kathleen Turner. Jon's first movie is this thing.
Scott: Not every movie is a winner.
How do you rate this?
Mike: I give it 4 stars.
Just kidding! Lets try 2 stars overall and 1.5 stars for comedy/drama.
How about you?
Scott: I give it a 2 overall and a 1 for comedy/drama. The movie was barely watchable, but was neither funny nor dramatic.
Mike: Luckily for the film makers this is no Running with Scissors.
But it's close.
If you are invited to the Land of Women, run away.
