Monster-In-Law Movie Review:


There's potential here for a wickedly funny Ruthless People-style black comedy. While there are moments of hilarious nastiness, the film continually opts to play it safe, sticking closer to the fluffy comedy of Luketic's Legally Blonde.

Charlie (Lopez) is a permanent temp, happy to "never live the same day twice". So of course this attracts the attention of successful doctor Kevin (Vartan). Over the months they become a blissful couple, until Kevin introduces Charlie to his high-maintenance mother Viola (Fonda), a washed-up talk show diva who decides her son is too good for Charlie. So she sets out on a devious campaign to undermine the relationship.

The first-act romantic comedy is so sweet that we know this film doesn't have the courage of its convictions. So when the blustery, twitchy Fonda enters, the screenplay continually undercuts her evil actions with explanations and moments of clarity that keep her from being truly despicable. Fonda is clearly having a blast here, and she's great fun to watch, even if she never tips over into a properly satisfying villain. At least her interaction with everyone else is superb--from Lopez's brightly sunny (but of course steely and resolved) Charlie to the sassy Sykes as Viola's reluctant and hilariously smart-mouthed assistant. And of course Stritch steals the whole show with a late entrance that upstages absolutely everyone. Vartan certainly doesn't stand a chance as the gorgeous-oblivious Kevin.

Luketic directs in his usual energetic manner, both colourful and bland at the same time, making sure everyone is beautifully turned out, unless they're required to look silly for some reason (cue Fonda's wacky hair!). The film works simply because it's fun to watch a drama queen like Viola bulldozer through each scene, and the action cranks up when Charlie starts to out-diva the diva. It's surprisingly good fun to watch these two actresses in these roles. But as the film progresses, we know that it's all heading for a big confrontation that's much more likely to go for swampy sentimentality than for the jugular. "Don't apologise," Viola screams at one point. "Show some backbone!" Indeed.



Rich Cline

The zany new comedy brings forth the return of a Hollywood icon. Jane Fonda hasn’t been seen in a movie in 15 years and back then she retired. The last two films she worked on were 1990’s “Stanley & Iris” and 1989’s “Old Gringo”.

The last time Fonda starred in a comedy was 1980’s “9 to 5” but she has never played a role like in “Monster-in-Law”.

Fonda plays Viola, an over-bearing mother who has just lost her illustrious career as a television interviewer to a younger woman. She was a legend in her field and her dismissal sent her over the edge. As she struggles to pick up the pieces her beloved son, Kevin announces he is getting married to Charlotte (Jennifer Lopez). Viola is horrified but really would any woman really be perfect in Viola’s eyes. Viola decides that her new mission in life is to drive the couple apart.

“Monster-in-Law” works because of a strong and hilarious performance from Jane Fonda. Her over-the-top zany character is the best part of the film. I also really liked the chemistry between Fonda and her co-star Wanda Sykes. Their scenes together are hilarious.

It’s really strange but I found myself actually liking a film with Jennifer Lopez in it. It’s been quite a while since 1998’s “Out of Sight”. Since then I have had to endure gagfests like “Gigli” and “Maid in Manhattan”.

Is it crazy to think that basically Lopez was playing the exact same character she played in “Maid in Manhattan” and “The Wedding Planner” in this film but this time it was funnier because she wasn’t the focus of attention?

I guess my biggest problem with this romantic-comedy was how long the film’s opening felt. I was bored to tears. But in some respects I believe by enduring that “sugary” opening that it made Fonda’s entrance and character even funnier. Don’t get me wrong there were some slow moments and the whole Will Arnett character was just wrong.

I guess what I am saying that that this film shocked me in a good way. Welcome back, Jane.



So Says the Soothsayer

Dean Kish

After having no luck with men at all, Charlie (Lopez) finally finds her perfect man in Kevin (Vartan). While everything is right with Kevin he has one major flaw, this overly possessive mother Viola (Fonda). Now Viola has made it her mission to split the pair up because no one will be the centre of Kevin’s world other than her.

Screen legend Jane Fonda returns to the big screen after a fifteen-year hiatus but is a Jennifer Lopez romantic comedy the best choice for her comeback?

When someone like Jane Fonda decides to come back to the silver screen it is a big deal. The fitness guru and activist, Barbarella herself is an icon and the good news is that she hasn’t lost any of her screen presence. As recently fired current affairs host Viola Fields, Fonda plays an insecure mother who has lost her job to a younger model. After a long career meeting foreign dignitaries and some of the most famous people in the world, retirement would give her the chance to spend more time with her son, Kevin but even the best laid plans don’t always work out. This is a role that Fonda really gets her teeth into but she is limited by the restrictions of the script. The character becomes very one dimensional with only one character trait, that of a jealous mother who rants all the time about her son marrying someone who she thinks is beneath him. This is amusing at first but after thirty minutes it becomes far too samey.

Some may argue that Jennifer Lopez has only ever made one decent film, ‘Out of Sight’ but does ‘Monster-In-Law’ go about changing this fact? The simple answer is no. While this is a more appealing J-Lo, as her character is nice and not as overly demanding as you might have expected her to be, the lack of character development for the role makes Charlie nothing more than just appealing and beautiful. The filmmakers do try to make her more interesting by making her a jack-ette of all trades who does numerous jobs to get by, but they never let her get past the fact that she is just nice.

The support is OK. Wanda Sykes provides most of the laughs and one-liners as Viola’s personal assistant Ruby. This is a good character for the comedic actress to play as it really makes the most of her comedy talents. Michael Vartan doesn’t really have a lot to do as Kevin and the role doesn’t really showcase his acting skill that are so prominent in his TV show ‘Alias’. The brilliant Will Arnett is criminally underused as Kit, Kevin’s best friends but he does steal every scene he is in with his astounding comic timing.

‘Monster-In-Law’ is an average date movie that is limited by having only one running joke. The cast deserve so much more than this script, with Jane Fonda’s return warranting a much better role than the one she has been given.

Jamie Kelwick

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