DROWNING MONA **1/2 (out of four stars) A review by Jamey Hughton
Starring-Danny DeVito, Bette Midler, Neve Campbell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Casey Affleck and William Fichtner Director-Nick Gomez Canadian Rating-PG Released by Destination Films - 03/00
MOVIE VIEWS by Jamey Hughton http://Welcome.to/MovieViews
`Drowning Mona', an oddball black comedy cocooned inside of a murder mystery, is the second star-laden comedy feature to be released this week. The first was `What Planet Are You From?', a ribald alien sex farce with Garry Shandling and a barrel of humming genitalia jokes. Both movies fail to reach the initial promise indicated by their hilarious cast and premise, but one of those two components still buoys the bubbly `Drowning Mona' to a docile altitude that makes it difficult to dislike.
First off, let's discuss the premise. A `horrible tragedy' has blindsided the denizens of Verplanck, New York - a small town labeled as the `Yugo capital of the world'. Mona Dearly (Bette Midler), possibly the most reprehensible woman to ever live, has driven her Yugo off a cliffside and drowned in the Hudson River. Upon closer inspection, it appears that Mona's brake-line was tampered with and her fateful plunge into the water was no accidental incident. But everyone in town is a suspect, because even Mona's closest relatives thought she was a miserable wench.
I know. It sounds pretty grim. But then there's the real fundamental element of `Drowning Mona': the cast, which foams relentlessly with comic talent and adds a cheery loft of innocent gullibility to the shady proceedings. Police Chief Wyatt Rash (Danny DeVito) and daughter Ellen (Neve Campbell) are among the only mentally competent residents in town - save for Ellen's sweety-pie fiancee Bobby Calzone (Casey Affleck). William Fichtner (`Go') is Mona's careless husband Phil, who is having a secretive affair with Rona the waitress (Jamie Lee Curtis), while one-handed son Jeff (newcomer Marcus Thomas) ceaselessly pesters Bobby about their mutual landscaping business. Rounding out the cast of blithering idiots are Deputy Feege (Peter Dobson) and Cubby (Will Ferrell), the sex-crazed funeral director. While you may believe the film has its bearings set on a scathing black comedy, the strangely innocent appeal of the multi-talented cast dilutes the darkened formula while emitting a sunny charm. Resistance of succumbing to the saccharine sweetness of `Drowning Mona' is futile.
There is plenty of frustration and lost chances afoot as well. As written by Peter Steinfeld, `Drowning Mona' has its share of lame, unfunny comic tedium. There's even a scene in which we are intended to feel sympathy for the Mona, which generates an awkward and cumbersome sensation of guilt for the viewer. Steinfeld's script could have certainly used some `There's Something About Mary'-esque edge and a dash more of maniacal energy, but the film still has its moments. Like air pockets of hilarity across a deserted terrain, these wry little instances of clever humor maintain the giddy playfulness of `Drowning Mona'. It wasn't funny half the time, but I was still chuckling throughout. Just pin this guilty pleasure on the diverse cast, who - from the outrageously brash Midler to the jubilantly nonchalant Fichtner - are white trash in top-form.
Director Nick Gomez shoots the film much like a smaller, independent feature - not surprising, given that is his regular field. This approach is effective, although it lacks the pizzazz to carry a comic ensemble piece of this caliber overall. Another saving grace is Steinfeld's use of well-distributed punchlines. For instance, when the police have just informed Jeff that his mother has driven off a cliff while driving his car, his immediate response is `What was she doing with my car?' In a zany, off-kilter sort of way, this type of subtle lunacy is what keeps the leaky foundation of `Drowning Mona' afloat. It's not the intriguing murder-mystery portion or the zestful tidbits of black comedy... the charming little touches help thread this film together. It's interesting that, in the midst of a puzzling homicide and other gruesome developments, all you can remember is that a character uses `Wheel of Fortune' as foreplay, and another puts ketchup on pickles. That's `Drowning Mona' for you.
© 2000, Jamey Hughton
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