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For more movie summaries, see Kam's Kapsules.
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Monster-in-Law: Jennifer Lopez Squares-off With Jane Fonda In Friendly Revenge Comedy
Review by Kam Williams
In order for a revenge comedy to work, the villain should be such a despicable character that the audience relishes those moments when the victim turns the tables and gets even. Monster-in-Law is misleading because the antagonist is not mean enough to hate, but rather is a sympathetic, somewhat pathetic figure.
Jane Fonda, making her first film in 15 years, plays a distinctly different character from the type of title roles she played in the sixties when she made movies like Barbarella (1968) and Cat Ballou (1965). In this film, she is an aging grande dame, Viola Fields, the just-fired host of a talk show. Unexpectedly relieved of her duties, Viola has oodles of money and plenty of time on her hands.
This is not good news for her bachelor son, Kevin (Michael Vartan), since his mother is now free to interfere with his social life. Viola vociferously objects to Kevin dating Charlie (Jennifer Lopez), because she's lower-class, Latino, and doesn't have a steady job.
Viola is upset even though Charlie is busy with part-time jobs as a dog walker, caterer, receptionist, yoga instructor, artist, and Little League coach. It seems that no woman, except maybe Kevin's ex-wife, Fiona (Monet Mazur), is good enough for her boy, a physician with a too pleasant personality.
After Kevin impulsively proposes to Charlie, Viola starts cooking up ways to separate the couple before the wedding. Most of her antics amount to light, sophomoric slapstick routines such as secretly feeding Charlie almonds, knowing full well that she's allergic to them.
Eventually, Charlie catches on and defends herself against her tormentor. However, nobody wants to see Jane Fonda get her comeuppance because she is so fragile.
Monster-in-Law is simply too tame to make anybody laugh.
Fair (one star). Rating: PG-13 for profanity and sexual references. Running time: 95 minutes. Studio: New Line.
end of review.
For more movie summaries, see Kam's Kapsules.