STEPMOM
** (out of 4) - a fair movie
Release Date: December 25, 1998 Starring: Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Ed Harris, Jena Malone, Liam Aiken, Darrell Larson, Lynn Whitfield Directed by: Chris Columbus Distributed by: Sony Pictures Entertainment / TriStar Pictures MPAA Rating: PG-13 (language, thematic elements) URL: http://www.execpc.com/~kinnopio/reviews/1998/stepmom.htm
It's been said that the toughest thing for a director to do is to get the audience to emote the way he wants it to. But that statement is a contradiction in terms: it should never be the director's intention to get the audience to emote in a specific way. Such a style is the trademark of a lightweight drama -- a pretender -- like Chris Columbus' latest film, STEPMOM. Rather than being a heartfelt product, it is an emotionally-manipulative one that specializes in pushing the right buttons.
The Gigi Levangie story can be spotted for the tearjerker it is from a good distance off. Luke (Ed Harris) and Jackie (Susan Sarandon), recently divorced, are still very much a part of each other's lives due to their two children, Anna (Jena Malone) and Ben (Liam Aiken). Unfortunately, the situation is complicated by the presence of Luke's fiancée, Isabel (Julia Roberts). Naturally, Isabel and Jackie are at odds with each other: Jackie, a good many years older than Isabel, envies her freshness but despises her disorganized lifestyle. The two children aren't sure what to make of Isabel either, both of them unwilling to accept the separation between their mother and father. As the story proceeds, then, we learn that Jackie has a malignant form of cancer, and that soon all will be forced to accept Isabel into their lives.
For her credit, Julia Roberts essays the role of Isabel with talent. It's easily the most dynamic role in the movie, and although none of the roles are really sympathetic to the audience, hers is the one to watch. She contributes to much of the life found in STEPMOM that might otherwise be lacking. The rest of the cast is unfortunately stale. Both Sarandon and Malone, as mother and daughter, never really get on the audience's good side. Liam Aiken plays the naïve little boy, a la JERRY MAGUIRE, and he specializes in stealing scenes. Ed Harris, for all of his effort, can't create any gravity in his role due to his minimal screentime; it's unfortunate that he plays so minor a role in the finished product.
Watching the movie is an unfulfilling experience from start to finish. Although the story should be emotionally moving -- the prototypical American family deals with life-and-death issues in an abnormal manner -- it comes off weak. All of the gusto about the quality of life found in PATCH ADAMS is lacking here, and the character motivations are similarly unclear. There's no reason for the audience to reach out and accept STEPMOM, and hence its only appeal is for those who don't want serious drama. As a lighter outing it works marginally: all of the appropriate elements are present and used in the correct fashion. But there's little to say that this will be remembered after it has dropped off the box office charts, and in the mean time, audience dollars are better spent elsewhere.
-- Craig Roush kinnopio@execpc.com -- Kinnopio's Movie Reviews http://www.execpc.com/~kinnopio
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