Monster-in-Law (2005)

Director:

Robert Luketic

Writer (WGA):

Anya Kochoff (written by)

Release Date:

13 May 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

She met the perfect man. Then she met his mother.

Plot:

The love life of Charlotte is reduced to an endless string of disastrous blind dates, until she meets the perfect man, Kevin. Unfortunately, his merciless mother will do anything to destroy their relationship.

Plot Keywords:

Mother In Law | Scheme | Breakdown | Doctor | Dog Walker

Awards:

1 win & 9 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Sat. Dec. 26	7:00 PM	OXYGEN
Sat. Dec. 26	11:30 PM	OXYGEN

Cast

Jennifer Lopez	...	Charlotte 'Charlie' Cantilini
Jane Fonda	...	Viola Fields
Michael Vartan	...	Dr. Kevin Fields
Wanda Sykes	...	Ruby
Adam Scott	...	Remy
Monet Mazur	...	Fiona
Annie Parisse	...	Morgan
Will Arnett	...	Kit
Elaine Stritch	...	Gertrude
Stephen Dunham	...	Dr. Paul Chamberlain
Randee Heller	...	Beverly Hills Dog Owner
Mark Moses	...	Coffee Shop Customer
Tomiko Fraser	...	Coffee Shop Clerk
Rochelle Flexer	...	Dr. Patel's Nurse
Wayne Nickel	...	George

Also Known As:

Das Schwiegermonster (Germany)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sex references and language.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Sweden:Btl | Canada:PG (Ontario) | Iceland:L | Hungary:14 | Switzerland:12 (canton of Zurich) | Germany:6 | South Korea:12 | Finland:K-3 | Australia:M | Canada:PG (British Columbia) | Ireland:12A | Norway:7 | Singapore:PG | UK:12A | USA:PG-13 | Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | New Zealand:M | Philippines:PG-13 | Mexico:B | Netherlands:MG6 | Argentina:Atp | Peru:PT | Brazil:12

Filming Locations:

Culver Studios - 9336 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company:

New Line Cinema

Trivia:

Jane Fonda said that she based her character on her ex-husband Ted Turner.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Charlie is talking to George the first time she works for Dr. Patel's office, the position of the computer chair behind her changes from shot to shot.

Quotes:

[first lines]
[Charlie sitting at her desk at home. Phone rings. Charlie lets the answering machine pick up and listens to the recording]
Charlotte 'Charlie' Cantilini: [Answering machine message] Hi, it's Charlie. Leave a message.
[Answering machine beeps to signal beginning of message]
Carol, from LA Temp Agency: [Leaving message on answering machine] Hi Charlie, it's Carol from the L.A. Temp Agency. Listen, Dr. Patel's office needs you for tomorrow. Is that ok? Let me know. Bye.
[Answering machine beeps signaling end of message]
Remy: [Charlie sketching]
[Remy walks in with cup of coffee and toast]
Remy: Morning neighbor.
[Chews toast]
[...]

Movie Connections:

Featured in "HBO First Look: Monster-In-Law (#12.9)" (2005)

Soundtrack:

Parakeets of Paraguay

"For your own safety, make sure you know where the emergency exits are at all times"

I did not expect much from this comedy, I just wanted to have a few laughs. I knew that many critics hated it and advised the viewers to stay away from it. Well, they did not like "Meet the Fockers", either but I had a great time watching it. They praised "Something's Gotta Give" to the high heavens but I wanted to kill somebody while suffering through so called "one of the best comedies of the year". They universally agree that latest Woody Allen's comedies suck - and I believe that they (Woody's comedies not the critics) are funny and enjoyable. Plus, Jane Fonda came out of retirement to make "Monster-In-Law", her first movie in 15 years. I saw a few weeks ago Fonda's "Barbarella", one of the silliest and campiest movies ever made and I liked it a lot, mostly due to Fonda's charm.

I watched "Monster-in-Law" last night and I found it uninteresting, boring, and irritating. The worst quality - it is not funny. Forget about laughs, I hardly smiled at all. I almost fell asleep - its 101 minutes seemed like eternity. Every twist in so- called plot was predictable, every joke -stupid, the ending - sappy and mediocre. In one word, the movie was a mess with only one redeeming value - Wanda Sykes (Ruby) as Fonda's personal assistant. Both, J.Lo and JF tried hard to do something with the material but it just did not work. In the perfect world, if Woody Allen had written the script and made the movie with three of them, Fonda, Lopes, and Sykes - we could've had if not a masterpiece but a wonderful and funny comedy. Alas, we are not in the perfect world and this monster is not scary, it is just pathetic.

2/10