Beautiful (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)Beautiful, adj. 1. Having beauty; delighting the senses and mind. 5. The ideal of beauty.
So says Webster, and given that, Mona Hibbard of Naperville, Illinois does not embody that quality on the inside. Mona has had a drive to be beautiful and from her pre-teen years, has worked hard, getting her teeth straightened, going to a grace school, and befriending Ruby, who has learned to sew from her grandmother. From watching beauty pageants on TV, she herself enters a beauty pageant and wins for best costume. The trouble is, her parents are far from supportive, and she herself shuts them out of her life. Her mother keeps saying she's getting aggravated from her behaviour, and even when Mona gets a consolation medal reading "participant," she merely says that she didn't get anything. On the other hand, the egocentric Mona's no angel either. She has a room with posters full of beauty pageant memorabilia, and a sign on the door reading "knock first" When her mother asks her if she wants some pizza, Mona refuses to answer because her mother didn't knock first.
Years later, Ruby and Mona are firm friends. Ruby and her grandmother still help make costumes for Mona, who still has the same dream, and will do anything to get it. In one scene smacking of black humour and slapstick, she sabotages a rival's equipment when that girl steals Mona's routine and is lucky enough to go first. This has grave ramifications later on, which I won't reveal. However, when Mona discovers she's pregnant, it's bad news, because women who are mothers or legal guardians are disqualified from entering the Miss American Miss competition. But she's so desperate to prove herself beautiful, she has Ruby pose as the mother of her child, a girl named Vanessa, while she becomes her own child's aunt. This helps her win Miss Illinois, which makes her a contestant for Miss America Miss pageant. In the meantime, there are the expected public appearances to promote her.
However, fate plays a cruel trick on Ruby, leaving Vanessa in Mona's care, something neither is chuffed about. Mona sees her own daughter as A) an inconvenience, and B) someone to take photos of her to mold her image as a caring, heroic, role model. But what makes a real role model? Mona's "campaign slogan" is "empowering America's youth for a brighter America." A pity she doesn't embody that ideal toward her own soccer-loving seven year old daughter.
In Mallrats Joey Lauren Adams played the smarter advice-giving girlfriend to Claire Forlani. As Ruby, Adams is the hard-working, grounded, patient friend who works hard to help Mona reach her goal even to the extent of being the mother to Vanessa, and treating her like a real mother would, making this her best role since Chasing Amy. Hallie Kate Eisenberg (Vanessa) is quite the delight here as the very insightful girl who ends up being more mature and abler than her birth mother. Indeed, when she asks Mona how come she looks so much like her, it's more than just physical appearance, but more on personality. One only has to look at the way Mona's own mother treated her to see how Mona treats Vanessa, with lack of sympathy, support, and as somewhat of an inconvenience. Her other question to Mona, "where do I belong?" is something that Mona herself is struggling with, to belong somewhere. Adams and Eisenberg really make this movie worth it.
Actress Sally Fields' feature film directorial debut was much panned by critics, and perhaps it's Minnie Driver's character, who isn't that likeable until the final twenty minutes or so of the movie. All the same, one is aggravated by her egotistical self-centered behaviour, while at the same time wanting her to not only grow up, as Ruby tells her in a moment of exasperation, but to be, in the words of Webster, to become beautiful.

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Mona is determined to win the Miss American Miss contest, even if it means cheating or concealing the fact that she has a daughter.Genre: Feature Film-ComedyRating: PG13Release Date: 2-SEP-2003Media Type: DVD

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Motherhood (2009) Review

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(More customer reviews)Greenwhich Village, NY (specifically the west village) provides the backdrop for this totally fun romantic comedy about a mom who has to plan out one crazy, yet typical mom-day that in this instance includes tonight's 6 year b-day party, but also includes protecting her car, saving her bike, getting the right goodie-bags, befriending her friend (Minnie Driver)and of course writing her blog about being a mom. Whew....
Uma Thurman, in a role so entirely different than anything she's done before, plays 'mom' and is fantastic! Her relationship with her husband (Anthony Edwards) seem quite real-life in that he wants to be of help but hey... he is a man, right? There IS a bit of magic between them indeed and while it might not be on the scale of "Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan" (yet), it peeks through nonetheless and proves itself by the end of the film in a scene sure to win you over entirely. I could envision the two together in more films going forward...
Minnie Driver plays the perfect supporting role as 'insightful best friend' and while the movie runs along a somewhat predictable course at times, it also provides some very nice surprises and follows that formula that always wins while laying in some interesting insights into what it's like to be a mom. I can see the mommy-blogs launching new discussions for sure and a plethora of subjects. OK OK... I realize that I am not a mom, but I am married to one...
If you enjoy films like Moonstruck, Sleepless in Seattle, Mask, You've Got Mail and so on, Motherhood is a likely winner for you.

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Raising kids is never easy.Eliza, a stay-at-home mom of two, hilariously finds this out in seemingly endless day where she must plan a birthday party, deal with her scatter-brained husband, save her car from being towed, and write an essay for a parenting magazine before the fast-approaching deadline. Starring Uma Thurman, Anthony Edwards and Minnie Driver.

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Return to Me (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)Director and co-writer Bonnie Hunt delivers the goods in "Return To Me," a touching story of two deserving people who are afforded a second chance at love and happiness. When we meet Grace (Minnie Driver), she is suffering with heart disease and awaiting a donor for a transplant. Architect-builder Bob Rueland (David Duchovny) is happily married to Elizabeth (Joely Richardson), they are deeply in love, and Hunt quickly establishes just how perfect their lives are together; so perfect, in fact, it becomes somewhat unsettling because you know that tragedy of some kind or other is imminent. When it comes, the transition is handled succinctly and with the skill of a seasoned professional. When Elizabeth dies, Grace receives her heart. A year later, Bob, still mourning the loss of his wife, meets Grace at the Irish-Italian restaurant owned by her grandfather (Carroll O'Connor), where she works as a waitress. Neither are aware of the intimate link they share to the heart that has given Grace her life. In the hands of a less savvy director, the story at this point could easily go astray and become mired in coincidence and cliche. Hunt never comes close to allowing this to happen, however, and instead hits every note squarely on the head so that the plot fairly resonates with precision and timing. A veteran character actress herself (she plays Grace's closest friend, Meg, here), she seems to know instinctively just when to add the right light touch to offset the drama, then fleshes it all out with an array of great characters,especially Robert Loggia, as Angelo, the "Greatest Italian chef in Chicago," and James Belushi as Meg's husband, Joe. There are no wasted moments in this film; the story moves right along and takes you with it. The dialogue is often witty and always real; in a scene between Grace and Meg that takes place in the hospital (prior to their notification that a donor has been located), in which Grace can barely draw a breath, she looks up at Meg and says one word, "Rosebud." After Elizabeth dies, when Bob finds himself alone at home and finally breaks down, Hunt gives the scene time to build and play out, so that it rings true instead of being glossed over and simply used as a tool to move the story along. When it happens we, as an audience, are also afforded that time to realize the suffering he's experiencing, and it allows us to feel it as well. The scene in which Grace, Meg and Joe are at home awaiting a dinner guest (a former priest), is beyond hilarious.Highlighting an exceptional cast, David Duchovny and Minnie Driver are unforgettable as Bob and Grace; and the multi-talented Bonnie Hunt rises to a whole new level of artistic merit for giving us a truly memorable and heart-warming movie that is a joy to experience. Written by Hunt and Don Lake, "Return To Me" is a delight from beginning to end, the kind of film one waits for to come along. Hopefully, in the future Hunt will treat us to even more movies of this caliber.

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Who knew that when he ordered the special, he d get the dish of his life? David Duchovny ('the X-Files ) and Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting) ignite sparks in thiswarm-hearted winner(JeffCraig, 'sixty Second Preview ) about a widower and a waitress who meet and fall in love. Featuring an incredible all-star cast, this hilarious romantic comedy delivers a lot of laughs, tears and joysthat will make your spirits soar.It took a lot of cajoling to get Bob (Duchovny), a recently widowed architect, to go on a blind date at a quirky Irish-Italian eatery. Once there, he's smitten instantly not with his date but with the sharp-witted waitress, Grace (Driver). With unsolicitedhelp from Grace's matchmaking grandfather (Carroll O Connor), Bob asks her out. And as their relationship blossoms, everything seems to be going great, until an unbelievable truth is revealed one that could easily break both of their hearts for good.

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Conviction (2010) Review

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(More customer reviews)A sure-fire crowd pleaser, the film "Conviction" is based on an undeniably (and practically unbelievable) compelling true life story. Betty Anne Waters, a high school drop-out with a troubled youth, dedicated nearly two decades of her life to clear her unjustly convicted brother of a murder charge. She got a GED, applied and got into college, graduated law school and passed the bar, became her brother's representation and uncovered exculpatory evidence. But despite all her best efforts, it was still quite a trial to be heard and taken seriously. While I've thrown a lot of the film's plot at you right away, the advertising campaign already covers the same ground. This is a movie about character and the long road to justice as seen through Betty Anne's eyes (an imposing Hilary Swank). Far from a perfect movie, however, I'm sure audience will still embrace this--the ultimate underdog story.
Swank, as I mentioned, headlines this piece with a hard edged perseverance. She is quite believable as the matter-of-fact Betty Anne. Sam Rockwell plays her brother, the town troublemaker, with equal parts charm and menace. It's perhaps the film's most compelling performance and there are moments when he sinks to desperation that have real emotional resonance. Minnie Driver befriends Swank in law school, and though their friendship is contrived at best, she becomes a welcome presence in the film. She stands as the one truly appealing character as Swank's mania borders on selfishness and Rockwell is an unstable powder keg. Ironically, the film wants to continuously solicit sympathy for its leads without confronting the unpleasant truths--particularly that Rockwell was a violent repeat offender whom the entire town was able to embrace as a cold blooded killer.
My biggest concern about "Conviction" had little to do with the actual search for justice and everything to do with Betty Anne's character. She pursues her goal steadfastly--to the ruination of her marriage and the alienation of her children. Her conviction, as it were, has turned to obsession and every waking moment of her life in the film is dedicated to this one specific purpose. I can't help but think that the film necessarily glosses over some of the more unpleasant aspects of this pursuit. We get little of Swank's husband, her kids seem mildly annoyed once but are fine with their mother's lack of family focus, and there are never any concerns at work. More telling, Swank hasn't had a relationship with her beloved brother's daughter in all the time he's been in prison. I understand that such a relationship might have been complicated, but the film doesn't even try to explain her complete lack of concern over this family bond. She calls her niece near the end of the film and actually says in the message-- "you may not remember me." Wow! Seems like some of her dogged determination might have been applied to other relationships as well!
But, again, I don't think any of this will matter to most. At heart, there is no escaping the facts of "Conviction" and they present a uniquely fascinating story. The little guy sticking it to the man, David versus Goliath, "never quit"--man, I'm practically cheering myself. "Conviction" is a good film filled with earnest performances (a drunk Juliette Lewis is inspired) told in standard biopic format. I don't think it digs quite far enough into the characterizations, but the story sells itself. Fascinating, scary, frustrating, and even inspiring--the Betty Anne Waters saga was begging to be represented on the big screen! KGHarris, 10/10.

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Two-time Academy Award® winner Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell deliver unforgettable performances in this incredible true story that co-stars Minnie Driver, Juliette Lewis and Peter Gallagher. Swank plays Betty Anne Waters, a young woman whose world is shattered when her beloved brother Kenny (Rockwell) is convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Steadfastly convinced of his innocence, Betty Anne embarks on an 18-year journey to set Kenny free, using state-of-the-art forensic technology. The unshakable bond between a brother and sister, at the heart of this real-life drama, will stir your emotions and inspire you.

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