Movie Review Madness - Bad Moms

Bad Moms is very R and very hilarious.  I went by myself, but this was obviously a ladies day out type movie. Lots of groups of women were howling up a storm (in a good way). The energy in the theater was palpable.  Mila Kunis as Amy truly has a star turn in this movie – she is perfect as the working mother who’s trying to keep up with life. Life is winning – it’s tough to pack the perfect lunch, bring the super healthy baked goods for PTA, juggle a (cheating) husband, and support your kids.

Christina Applegate is Gwendolyn – she seems to be the super mom who leads the PTA like a Nazi. She and her posse are the mean adult girls. After a particularly horrendous day, Amy arrives late to PTA and says, “No.”  No to volunteering, no to rules, no no no……….well that does not go over well and a war ensues between Amy and Gwendolyn. Amy stops making her kids breakfast and lunches. She stops doing the special homework. She goes out drinking with her new renegade mom/friends played by Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn (laugh out loud funny. She is comedy joy).

The movie gets a tad outrageous and the language can be rather blue, but the overall story is worthwhile and well done. The kids learn how to be a bit independent. Amy shows you can be a good mom without being a helicopter. There is an emphasis on friendship and empowerment.  Stay through the end credits where the actresses and their real life moms answer a few questions. It’s really cool.

Bad Moms is one of the most enjoyable movies I’ve seen this summer. I did not have high expectations and was very happy and entertained. Grab some friends and go have a laugh together.

Movie Review: Friends With Benefits

Friends With Benefits is the Justin Timberlake/Mila Kunis version of No Strings Attached (Natalie Portman/Ashton Kutcher) which came out in the spring. Both movies feature pretty people, slick dialogue, ultra trendy lives, and absolutely nothing new or original. For my four dollar matinee, I was amused and the theater's air conditioning was cranking (crucial on Day 25 over 100 degrees in Texas). However, I'd hoped for something more.

Here's the writing analysis of this review: Rather than being drawn into the movie, I found myself thinking "No one really talks that way" and "Oh, the dirty language wasn't necessary there." I'm no prude, but it felt forced. Watching movies, I want to escape, and so I hold the writing to a higher standard. Part of the problem with movie comedies these days is the television comedies are better, especially on cable channels. They are smart packages with snarky dialogue and often racy themes. Consequently, a film like Friends With Benefits has to try harder to appear cool and wicked sharp, and whatever the nifty lingo is today. It's tough to pull off.

That said, I was entertained and I did laugh at various lines. Justin and Mila looked like they had fun together, trying to be just "friends" enjoying "benefits" (wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more). New York has never looked better. The characters enjoy spiffy jobs, spacious apartments, and breeze in and out of the most awesome places.

Mila's spacy mom shows up - Patricia Clarkson is the go-to actress for wifty wisdom. I found her character annoying, because Clarkson is such a good actress and deserves better. Justin's scenes back in Los Angeles with family were better. His father, played by Richard Jenkins, is declining due to Alzheimer's. Excellent actor and those home scenes were touching and demonstrated how this movie could have been raised to a higher level.

Summer fluff trying to be edgy. Go re-watch Midnight in Paris instead. That's clever writing.