Qui a tué Mona?

Drowning Mona is now a cult favorite of mine. The script is unusual yet amazingly funny. Every time I watch this movie, my understanding of its comedic genius grows. Especially for English language buffs, this film's edgy and blatant use of word order and delivery are what make it so hilarious. No line is extraneous or meaningless--they all add up to one hell of a funny film. I'd recommend this to serious movie goers who enjoy an intellectual thrill, a script that puts faith in the audience's ability to understand and not be told outright. If you crave a change from the typical Hollywood Blockbuster formula of drugs, sex, violence, and sentimental life lessons, watch this film. It still manages to deliver action and comedy--but are you smart enough to watch it?

Maybe Danny DeVito and Bette Midler should collaborate more often. The two times they did it was comedy gold. While this movie is not as flat out hilarious as "Ruthless People," it should still be enjoyed by the same people who love that movie. It starts with a prologue stating how Verplanck, New York was the location where they decided to launch the Yugo line of cars in America. As a result, everyone in town, including the police, drives a Yugo car, and they all have catchy license plates like UGOMONA, ELLEEE, and OH RONE.

As the title suggests, this black little whodunit concerns who opted to rid the small town of Verplanck of its nastiest inhabitant, the matriarchal hag Mona Dearly (Midler, who chews up every inch of the screen in her "Rashomon"-esque flashback scenes). Police Chief Wyatt Rash (Danny DeVito, playing against type as the straight man), is determined to find out, even if nobody else cares to help. It's come at a bad time, because he's trying to help his daughter Ellie (Neve Campbell) plan her big wedding to mild-mannered land-scaper Bobby Calzone (Casey Affleck), who has just ended up short-handed after his beer-guzzling partner Jeff Dearly (Marcus Thomas, the epitome of slackerdom) takes a leave of absence. Bobby also seems unnaturally concerned with the the death of a woman who meant only bad things for him.

The characters, while bordering on cartoons, are played tongue-in-cheek, and you know the actors had fun doing it. There's the chain-smoking waitress Rhona Mace (Jamie Lee Curtis), who's having an affair with the deceased's husband Phil (William Fichtner, who walks away with the movie as a complete scumbag), and Bobby's overbearing brother Murph (Mark Pellegrino). The cops are just as zany, with Peter Coyote as the do-gooder lieutenant, and Paul Ben-Victor and Paul Schulze (Ryan Chapelle from "24") as a couple of bumbling idiots who seem to be good for one thing, looking out for Numbers One. There's Katherine Wilhoite as Lucinda, the lesbian folk-singer mechanic, and the great Tracey Walter is on board as the local fisherman who nobody really knows much about. Add in a foul-mouthed, alcoholic priest, and a funeral director who's also an amateur pornographer (Will Ferrell before he became huge), and it's a feast for those with a twisted sense of humor.

In a town full of "Yugo" cars, and mentally challenged residents, we find fertile ground for a terrific dark comedy. Bette Midler plays Mona, a monstrous woman everybody has a reason to hate. When her Yugo plunges into the lake due to foul play, no one seems to care that she is dead, and everyone is a suspect in "Drowning Mona". William Fichtner absolutely steals this movie, as Mona's "battered husband", who likes to play "Wheel of Fortune" with Jamie Lee Curtis. Meanwhile, Danny DeVito, as the sheriff, has plenty of suspects, including his future son-in law. If you enjoy "black comedies" like "Ruthless People" or "Eating Raoul", this is a must see, and comes highly recommended. - MERK

An obnoxious woman (Bette Midler), who was despised by everyone who knew her, got murdered. Who did it?

The characters in this movie are to die for, because they are truly hilarious. Great acting, by a lot of great actors. But after a great start, the movie slowly peters out.

Funny enough for 1 watch, but when you know the plot, there isnt much else left to be enjoyed. Yes, the jokes are good, but this comedy is a bit TOO dumb and farcical at times. I can only handle that many farcical jokes in a row before I get numb.

For fans of Casey Affleck dont let this chance pass by to see him, because he is truly hilarious as a meek, blonde, dumb looser. Will Ferrel as a funeral employee is hilarious as well.

"Drowning Mona" is a frustrating comedy. It has interesting characters and situations and I found myself really enjoying the film--only to have it all fizzle at the end. And, with such an unsatisfying ending and its inability to capitalize on a potentially funny situation, it's a film that you probably shouldn't rush to see on DVD.

This film is very unusual in that one of the main characters of the film, Mona (Bette Midler) is killed in the first few minutes of the movie. The car she's driving has been sabotaged and the vehicle goes careening into the river. The head of the local police, Chief Rash (Danny DeVito), investigates the case and soon learns that the brakes were tampered with in multiple ways--as if someone REALLY wanted to make sure she was dead. And so, through a series of interviews and flashbacks, you learn who did this as well as what a thoroughly awful and hateful person Mona was.

The film gets high marks for setting the right stage for a comedy. Mona is so awful I kept thinking that EVERYONE in town was in on the murder---sort of like in "Murder on the Orient Express". But t just didn't capitalize on the comedy gold that seemed to be awaiting the viewer. Funny people, a funny idea and then...nothing.

By the way, I noticed that a lot of reviewers didn't like how dark the tone was of the film. I actually liked that a lot--I just didn't think they were able to capitalize on this properly--hence my score of 6--which indicates it's mildly amusing and watchable but nothing more.