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All of J-Lo's movies have similar themes, interchangeable plots and bad acting, but in her lastest flick to go to DVD, she gets lucky. Jane Fonda and Wanda Sykes save the day! In a welcome return to acting, Ms. Fonda delivers a brilliant performance as Viola, the recently replaced, aging TV legend. Wanda Sykes is hysterical as Viola's assistant and the perfect foil for Ms. Fonda's character. Her comedic timing is dead-on and a thorough joy to watch. Michael Vartan's acting was listless, but then his character was flat and boring. The directing was about par for this genre of film and the script was fast paced and fun, if predictable. My main problem was with the lead actress. Perhaps one day, someone will stop and recognize that Ms. Lopez couldn't act her way out of a paper bag. Her inclusion in this movie made what could have been an excellent romantic comedy into a real dud. She owes both Ms. Fonda and Ms. Sykes a bottle of Crystal for saving Monster-In-Law. Kat One reviewsRead full review
I was looking forward to this movie, given the actresses, in particular, but it was disappointing to me. It seemed confused as to whether it was a comedy, a romance, or just a sweet and sentimental movie; most of the time, it seemed to be a somewhat hokey comedy with little believable acting--the over-the-top controlling mother-in-law to be vs. the smart, devious daughter-in-law to be (and the mother-in-law's funny personal assistant/housekeeper). But then at the end, Jennifer Lopez turns into the very believable bride-to-be who realizes that a relationship with a spouse is impossible when there is hatred for his mother, and because of her love for her man, she is willing to step out of the way. Of course, Jane Fonda then becomes this understanding and also somewhat believable mother-in-law to be and realizes she doesn't want to ruin her son's life by making him choose between the two women he loves. Wanda Sykes' acting throughout makes the movie slightly more than intolerable, but I still won't be keeping the movie.... Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I got stuck watching this movie while on an airplane - I couldn't sleep, forgot my book, and it was the only thing on the screen. Lets just say it wasn't the best flight - The movie was wildly over-the-top and, of course, came together in a tight & nifty cliche ending. But my real problem with the movie was Jennifer Lopez (j-lo) who I consider the worst mainstream actress in Hollywood. She has perfected the gentle baby voice and somehow arrives in the same roles over and over again (does this remind anyone of the Wedding Planner?). She begins to iritate me from the first instant she appears on screen. Enough of my ranting because there were some funny parts of the movie. Jane Fonda is surprisingly funny (so is her absurdly tight face lift!). I also get a kick out of the timing of Fonda's press tour - this is her first movie in ages and it coincides nicely with her autobiography, a signing tour, and surely plenty of plastic surgery operations.Read full review
Yes, Lopez plays her same role. Poor Lonely Girl falling in love, but Hey she does it good. Besides, most of the movie is exactly what the title says. "Monster" In Law. It will have you laughing at parts, but honestly sometimes it does drag on. And you always know the ending...... I wouldn't advise young children to watch this. There is some name calling, but there is no nudity/cursing. This is good for a girls night in, but I saw it with my Hunny, and HE actually bursted out laughing...
"[T]he juxtaposition of Fonda with Lopez, now a star of comparable stature is shrewd..." Sight and Sound - Samuel Wigley (08/01/2005); I'll not agree with Wigley's critique because the balance between one hot long-standing star and one hot relatively new one could is not of comparable stature: J. Fo. steal the show! I'm a big time Jane Fonda (J.Fo.) fan, the young lady who had to find her own way out from beneath her father's (Henry Fonda) gigantic shadow at a time when Hollywood was the valley of the dolls and drenched in drugs and liquor. "It's a hoot to watch Fonda cut loose and mix it up with J.Lo....Knockabout comic is just the latest incarnation in Fonda's life so far. Let her rip." Rolling Stone - Peter Travers (05/19/2005), seems to agree with me. Who would have guessed that Jane Fonda would play her own age as mother-in-law so comically, when her acting history is not especially known for sharp witted comedy? J.Fo. you're still hot to trot! "Monster-in-Law" is Jane Fonda's ever so successful return to the big screen after a 14-year, well deserved, vacation. The story line begins when waitress Charlie (J.Lo.) is searching for a nice guy to marry. She wants him to share her own wide variety of interests. Keith (Michael Vartan) seems to be her ideal match. Up to this point the story line is dull, unless you consider J.Lo. cute enough to make the story line something that doesn't matter; all too typical boy-meets-girl, marry, and breed like different-gender rabbits in a locked cage. Wanting to marry Charlie, Keith proposes. All too predictably dull. However, his legendary television journalist mother, Viola (Jane Fonda, J.Fo.), who has an on-air breakdown after being replaced by a much younger woman, enters Keith's mind as a nightmare. Since her career is apparently over, for Viola, her energy is spent making the sun rise and set in Keith. All of her eggs in one son of a basket case. Of course, with such high falutin standards of excellence combined with histrionic outbursts, Viola becomes determined to prove to Keith that Charlie is not of his caliber. Enter bluntly truthful Ruby (Wanda Sykes), Viola's assistant. And what we've got is a hilarious cauldron brewing to drive Charlie nuts. Viola and Ruby use every antic any dubious mother-in-law has schemed, but she sorely underestimates Charlie's fight to let go of Keith and their future together.Read full review
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