Relative Strangers

Why are the others who have reviewed this movie critically blaming the actors? It's a top notch cast. Honestly, whoever produced and edited this movie is to blame if it's not more popular. Obviously the actors must have seen something good in the script for all of them to accept their parts they played. To me, this movie was not a disappointment as others have commented. It's silly, yes. Goofy, yeah. To me, if it was produced a bit better, and the editing done a bit better I would have definitely given it at least a 7 out of 10. I watched this movie mostly because I just adore Ron Livingston. Even playing a straight-man character he's very funny. I hope this gets released in the U.S. at least on DVD because with it's cast it is well worth the watch.

I had the pleasure of seeing this film at a sneak preview in Los Angeles earlier this year and have been waiting to see it's release here in the US. Apparently, it's being released overseas which is a shame as it would seem to go over better in America being so..American. This film was just a lot of fun. Danny DeVito and Kathy Bates play the white-trash birth parents of Ron Livingston, an uptight self help author. His fiancée is played by the incredibly sexy Neve Campbell who I could watch in anything. DeVito and Bates characters are very broad, almost cartoons but by the end of the film you really feel they are real people and the film packs an emotional punch that was really unexpected. Along the way are some hilarious scenes..Bates and DeVito are a great team! I loved the talk show appearance where his parents unexpectedly (of course) show up and he loses it. It seems like so many films have to be about something deep and have a cynical edge nowadays but this film was just fun to watch and left me smiling at the end. The audience I saw it with exploded with laughs frequently through out. I can imagine this film is not for every taste but if you can relax and just enjoy a feel good, fun comedy, I recommend this film highly

I was looking for a Christa Campbell fix until I could watch her next movie. I wore out last month's Playboy and Scars hasn't arrived. I noticed her in this little comedy and said, what the heck! Unfortunately, I waited about 75 minutes before she appeared for about 60 seconds, not saying a word. Oh, well, the wait was worth it and there was a pretty funny comedy in the meantime.

I have to say that Neve Campbell really surprised me in this film. She was really good. She made me forget all about those Scream and Wild Things.

Ron Livingston was great as the psychologist who finds out that his real parents are carny folk as opposed to the snobs that raised him. Danny DeVito and Kathy bates were hilarious as the parents. I always like Christine Baranski, and she didn't disappoint with her nose high in the air.

Lots of laughs, and you can guess the ending.

Imagine the cruelty of adoptive parents to tell an unsuspecting son that he is adopted? To make matters worse, the Claytons, a rich couple, have waited a long time to spring the news to Richard, who is about to get married! This is the premise for this comedy created by Greg Glienna, who also contributed to its screen play. The film, which went directly to video, never had a chance to make it commercially, in spite of the prominent figures in the cast. In fact, the film seems to this viewer as a variation of the more successful "Meet the Parents", which employed Mr. Glienna as a writer. Not that this film is horrible, by any means, but it appears the powers that be must have had doubts about its impact and sent it to the DVD limbo.

Ron Livingston, who is seen as Richard, the man who is told he has been living a lie, is quite good and shows a flair for comedy. Neve Campbell is also effective in playing the object of Richard's love. The combination of the vulgar Meneres as played broadly by Danny Devito and Kathy Bates have some good moments. Christine Baranski and Edward Herrmann play the Claytons, the uptight adoptive parents. The one that is hardly recognizable is Beverly D'Angelo, who must have gone through a procedure to change the way we remembered her.

This was by no means a great movie, but it was enjoyable.

The production values were low and the performances at times suffered from overacting -- especially by Danny DeVito. But, the film had a little bit of heart, and I couldn't help but smile at times.

Neve Campbell is so beautiful here; I can't understand why she's not more famous. She just radiates and lights up the screen every time she is on here.

Kathy Bates was great, as always, but I found Ron Livingston's performance to be a little stale.

If you're looking for a lighthearted movie to help you waste away a Sunday afternoon, this is it. Just don't expect too much and you won't be that disappointed.