SpilledPopcorn

I will be completely honest with you. I am not a huge fan of the books. I’ve read them all, devoured them, really, but I had issues with them. I’m going to put the issues aside for this; I tried to view the movie with...

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Review coming soon!

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Welcome to the Meg Ryan show.  Now, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but let me give you a list of women who also star in this movie (read this list also as women who were not given nearly enough to do):  Annette Benning, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Debra Messing, Bette Midler, and Carrie Fisher (this last with a meager five minutes of screen time).  With that said, it’s not a bad movie.  Mary Haines’ (Meg Ryan) husband is having an affair with a twenty-something, a bit of information that makes its way to the women through a manicurist who loves to gossip.  Now Mary must decide what is best for herself and her family, while fielding advice from all of the women around her, including her mother, Catherine (Candice Bergen) and her best friend Sylvia (Annette Benning).I know this is a remake.  Being completely ignorant of the original, I can only judge this version on its own merits.  At the end of the day, you only get surface from each of these characters, even Mary.  I just don’t know enough about any of them to care all that much.  It was an enjoyable movie, but just like a sugary confection, it was pleasant going down and not all that filling in the end.Previews I liked:Nothing Like the HolidaysMilkThe DuchessThe Secret Life of Bees

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The Coens are my favorite filmmakers.  I went into this knowing it was more Fargo than No Country for Old Men.  Unfortunately, it’s no Fargo either.  All the elements were there: inept criminals, blackmail, money, and genuine shock value.  It’s fast paced, brightly colored, and amusing.  So what happened?Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand star as two fitness club employees,  Chad and Linda, who find seemingly top secret info and try to sell it back to the owner, Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich) for major money (it’s really just part of a crappy memoir burned onto a disc full of financial info for a divorce case).  Well, things don’t go exactly as planned.  See what I mean about shock value?  At the same time, Ozzie’s wife is having an affair with Harry, played in his now usual (at least for these directors) cartoon style by George Clooney.  What comes out the other side is a single punch line at the end of a two hour set-up.To tell the truth, I wanted to love it.  But at best it ends up being mediocre.  I’m not saying that it doesn’t have its moments, because it truly does.  The whole thing is just mellow and low key, which just doesn’t work if the jokes aren’t clever enough.  The film grows on you, but at this point in the Coens’ career, with Fargo and No Country behind them, it shouldn’t have to.Previews I Liked: How to Lose Friends and Alienate PeopleNick & Norah's Infinite Playlist

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Yes, I was one of the crazy women.  I could not wait to go see this movie.  I watched every episode of the show, every Sunday night, looking forward to the jaunty theme music and the punny humor.  I cried when it ended.  I know, sad.With that said, I loved the movie.  It picks up four years after the show ends.  Carrie and Big (Mr. John James Preston) are still happily in love, Steve and Miranda are potentially not, Samantha and Smith have flown the coop, and Charlotte and Harry are so happy they're boring.The movie is very long, the length of 5 television episodes, but I enjoyed every minute of it.  Unfortunately, I can't look at the film objectively.  As a fan of the show, I loved it.  I don't know how it stands on its own as a movie.  If you watched the show, don't you dare miss it.  If you didn't watch the show, and a group of girl friends invite you, I still think it would be fun.

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