Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsSo-so film
Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2019
I think I've had my share of female demographic relationship films with an emphasis on the mother daughter parallels of intimacy with their men in question. Pretty much the formula for a successful female film is spicing up relationships and working in themes of acceptance and forgiveness for social faux paus aplenty when it comes to suspecting a man of being disloyal or disinterested.
Again, as pre my previous review of another Diane Keaton film, this one doesn't have any flatulence gags nor teen-oriented put down humor. Sex is abundant in this film, but kept in a very PGi like vein. Why this film is not on the free list, and is on the rental list of films, I'll never know, because it's not that good a film compared to other films of the genre.
I guess the thing that gets me about these movies is that they're all the same. Everyone says that about a genre they're not familiar with or don't know that well, but truly, as a male who was raised on romantic comedies from the likes of "Man's Favorite Sport" and "The Thrill of it All", I think I can safely say that the romantic comedy is always a welcome pastime … kind of like a good baseball game. You like watching it, and enjoy it, and note the exciting moments, but it's not a deeply moving genre that sticks with you.
And perhaps that's my biggest criticism of this film and the genre as a whole. Here the males don't seem very proactive, but are more or less objects for mani0puation as the female characters sort out their emotional angsts with one another before deciding to take the emotional plunge with the male of their choice. And, as can be expected, there's a lot of emotional frivolity in this film and others of its ilk that, quite frankly, isn't very appealing. Then again these are female fantasy films about families striking out for new male partners, but having to sort through things that upset them about their "BFFs".
Well, no dogfights, no fire fights, no starships zipping through asteroid fields, but, on that same note, there's no Doris Day, Jud Garland nor even a Paula Prentiss, Just a Diane Keaton and dude from Star Trek the motion picture with a lot of talented, but non0recognizeable supporting cast.
I've often said it many times. Movies are fun, but they are stupid. This one fits that description. Not a bad film as such, but a little lacking, somewhat predictable, and otherwise making emotional mountains out of mole hills.
See it once, but there are better films out there.