This Is My Life

The gritty Meg Wolitzer novel Ephron's script is based on is far darker than the cinematic end result, but that doesn't keep this movie from being a sweet, subtle and empathetic (to _all_ its characters, even the potential caricature of a paper-gnawing agent played by Dan Aykroyd) story. It's also as much of a love letter to New York as Woody Allen's "Manhattan" or "Everyone Says I Love You." This isn't a typical Ephron movie the way "Sleepless in Seattle" or "You've Got Mail" are, whatever you might think of them; it's about the genuine trauma of adolescence, the complexities of trying to be a grownup when you're still figuring yourself out, and--transcending the cliche of "the tears of a clown"--the sadness that often lurks behind the most successful lives in comedy and the sacrifices comedians make to get there. The soundtrack by Carly Simon is an extra treat. Highly recommended.

This film, the directorial debut of Nora Ephron, is a very interesting film that has a strong opening and a good ending, but goes a bit astray in the middle.

The dialogue is very sharp and witty, and there are many lines that are some of the more pointed ones in Ephron's filmography (she cowrote the film with her sister from a book by Meg Worlitzer). Julie Kavner is ideal as the mother turned stand-up comic, Samantha Mathis convinces as a sullen teenager, and young Gaby Hoffman is utterly charming. Their utterly convincing mother-daughter dynamic as the film opens is enthralling and compulsively watchable, and the early scenes kept me with a smile plastered to my face.

Problems arose a bit in the middle when Kavner's character went off on a comedy trip to LA, and as such was mostly absent from a section of the film. But then came the big misstep. Most of this movie feels like this type of film that mothers can watch comfortably with their teen and tween daughters, and then all of a sudden is an admittedly funny *(through its sheer awkwardness), but surprisingly graphic and extended teen bedroom scene that seems to have drifted in from an entirely different film. As this is the first (and last) scene of that type in the film, it throws things into a precarious state for a while, because this is not the type of film that seemingly gave any hint of heading that way.

But to the film's credit, it does get back on track with closing sequences that might be expected, but they do ring true, and give all three leads time to shine. They also feature some fresh material for Caroline Arron, and a funny disagreement scene between Kavner and Dan Aykroyd over it's a Wonderful Life.

What makes the movie worth watching is its honest look at the type of sacrifices that happen when somebody hits the big time, its three wonderful performances, and also that it gives Kavner a rare leading part which is nice to see. There are also 3 pretty good Carly Simon songs to top things off, so while not a perfect film, it is worth a look.

I just watched this movie for the third time. I chose to watch it on Mother's Day because this is about as realistic a tale about mother-and-daughter bonding and growing pains as you will ever see. Julie Kavner is nothing short of amazing as Dotty, a stand-up comic from Ozone Park, Queens, waiting for her chance to make it to the big time. But, life necessitates tradeoffs. As her career takes off, Dotty is unable to spend much time with her kids who grow resentful. And with her older daughter Erica (an excellent performance by Samantha Mathis) now in the awkward early teen years, everything Dotty does is a personal embarrassment to Erica.

The direction is a bit on the claustrophobic and episodic side. Aside from experimenting with the number of different ways to show polka dots, this is not a visually impressive film, nor is it meant to be.

But on its own terms, it is sweet, warm, winning, and true.

Single mom Dottie Ingels (Julie Kavner) sells cosmetics in a department store and dreams of being a big comedian on the Tonight Show. She lives in Queens with her two daughters Erica (Samantha Mathis) and Opal (Gaby Hoffmann) in Aunt Harriet's house. When Aunt Harriet died leaving everything to Dottie, she sells everything to move to NYC. She works her way in small bars. She gets Arnold Moss (Dan Aykroyd) as her agent or at least his assistant Claudia Curtis (Carrie Fisher). She starts traveling and the girls are left at home.

The big problem is that I don't find Julie Kavner funny in this or that she has a funny act. This movie is desperate for somebody with standup experience. She needs an act that is actually funny. Samantha Mathis is playing an Annie Hall type as a teenager. The standup life seems so unrealistic. If I could ignore her standup, this could be a cute Nora Ephron movie especially considering that this is her directorial debut. It would be much better to concentrate on Erica's POV which has the possibility of skipping more of the mom's act.

I loved this movie when it first came out, and the 3 or 4 times that I have seen it since then. I really identified with the single mom with two kids trying to balance life and work. I was doing the same thing then! It reminded me that if you can find something funny about a difficult time in your life, you may be more able to get through it. Family is everything to Dottie and her kids, and the still unresolved issues at the end are fine, since life usually just continues and not every problem can be resolved at the same time. I recommend this movie to anyone who is trying to balance family and a career and a love life! It made me cry and laugh at the same time!