The goodhearted Charlotte 'Charlie' Cantilini (Jennifer Lopez) bumps into Dr. Kevin Fields (Michael Vartan) on the beach where both exchange extended looks.  A couple of hours later she runs into him in a coffee shop.  Amazed by the encounters, the superstitious Charlie tells her two best friends about the man she has seen.  On a later occasion, she meets Kevin for a third time, and this time they introduce themselves to each other.  The rest is rather self-explanatory, until the audience meets Kevin’s mother, Viola Fields (Jane Fonda).

The seven times nominated and two time Oscars winner – Jane Fonda – for best actress returns to the silver screen after 15 years of absence.  Fonda’s performance is as usual—brilliant, and it is clear that she has not lost her step while absent.  Here in Monster-in-Law she plays a laid-off talk show hostess with an age phobia that has flared out into a psychotic neurosis.  After the character’s introduction, Viola is released from a mental institution after having assaulted a Britney Spears look-alike after having found out that the television network has released her.  Still unstable, she learns about her son’s engagement to Charlie, which triggers a regression into her psychotic neurosis.

The film focuses on Viola’s psychopathic approach to Charlie, as she attempts to break up the engagement before the upcoming wedding.  Through violent fits and malignant words, Viola begins to affect Charlie who gives her best effort to make her future husband happy by enduring the abusive presence of her future mother-in-law.  It is in these satirical moments where the film falters, as the language and jokes are a little too pleasant for the nature of the story.  However, Wanda Sykes steps in and saves some comic moments with her supporting part, as Viola’s assistant Ruby.  Despite Sykes’ presence and Fonda’s radiant performance, the film does not reach the potential the story possesses.

Monster-in-Law has the foundation and cast for a terrific comedy, but does not reach its potential.  Several aspects of the film could be improved, but it is too late, as the film has already reached the shelves of the video stores.  The major setback is the poor use of satire, as it becomes too nice to be funny.  However, enough laughter, smiles, and a little bit of drama surface in the film in order to keep the viewer’s interest.  The greatest injustice in the film is how Fonda returns to the silver screen in a mediocre film, as she has the talent help make good films great.  In retrospect, Fonda, Lopez, and Sykes converge in an average film without much nourishment for the thoughtful, as the satire misfires.

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USA

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