Il bacio che aspettavo

I admit to be surprised by how much I enjoyed this movie. Well cast, Meg Ryan in particular.

I enjoyed the dialog, the understated humor, and the story line. The grandmother's role left me somewhat confused, not sure I understand why it was written (or played) the way that it was. However that may be it was the device to get the main character Wisconsin, or was that Michigan? Meg Ryan finally had a role that she excel in. Just the right touch of someone who is more than they seem, and not realizing that themselves. Very interesting story between she and the main character...how they reach out and touch each other, impact each other's lives. Wish the movie had been about twenty minutes longer to better develop the characters and the interaction between them...but two hour movies just aren't the norm anymore and the 100 minutes must suffice. However, it was a 100 minutes well spent.

The main character is a guy named Carter, a writer of soft porn who lives in California. He is a good listener, so people reveal things about themselves to him. Because he knows that "life is messy", he is not judgmental. He goes to Michigan to live with his grandmother for a while.

His grandmother is a quirky/confused woman who may be senile and who has an obsession with the possibility of her own impending death.

Across the street lives a family named the Hardwickes. Carter is drawn into the drama of their lives. The mother, Sarah, is not happy in her marriage. Her relationship with her teenage daughter suffers from the usual poor communication/generational issues.

The teenage daughter, Lucy, besides dealing with her family issues, is not very self-defined, like many teenagers. She sees a guy who may be her boyfriend.

The younger daughter, Paige, is the precocious tween who hides her immaturity with her verbosity and intelligence.

Carter negotiates the minefield of the Hardwickes' individual issues and their feelings for each other. In the process, he learns about himself. The story contains some tears, but the overall tone of the film is light.

In the Land of Women reminds us of some basic truths: You are lucky to live, so live your life (and no one else's). You are lucky to love another. Art awakens you to real living.

Jonathan Kasdan--the writer and director--is the son of Lawrence Kasdan. This film is not a copy of his father's style, but it did remind me of the superior Lawrence Kasdan film, Grand Canyon. I think father would be proud.

The Kasdan Family has made a significant mark on the better films of Hollywood and Jon Kasdan (writer/director of IN THE LAND OF WOMEN) holds those values of fine cinema intact. Having appeared as an actor in some films of his father Lawrence Kasdan (Grand Canyon, The Big Chill, Body Heat, Mumford, Dreamcatcher, The Bodyguard, etc), he has not only inherited his father's credo of making meaningful statements about life as we are currently living it, he has absorbed the fluid character development of those films and added his own sensitive touch with graceful dialog. He is a talent to watch.

Soft porn writer Carter Webb (Adam Brody in a very fine performance) lives in Los Angeles near his depressed mother (JoBeth Williams) and has just been dumped by his actress girlfriend Sofia Buñuel (Elena Anaya). When his mother learns of her mother's failing state, the distraught Carter offers to travel to suburban Michigan to stay with his grandma Phyllis (Olympia Dukakis). Once in picturesque Michigan Carter deals with his lovable but eccentric grandma and meets the across the street neighbors - mother Sarah (Meg Ryan in fine form), daughters Lucy (Kristin Stewart) and the younger Paige (Makenzie Vega), and errant husband Nelson (Clark Gregg). In this setting of a 'woman world' Carter is key to aiding the various maladies of each of the women while addressing his own disappointing failed relationship. The manner in which he intervenes by simply being present and tender and caring makes a positive impact on not only those around him but also on his own life and talent as a meaningful writer.

In what could have been a soupy chick flick Jon Kasdan has instead provided a script that has a healthy dose of homespun philosophy and has guided his multi-talented cast to offer some of their finest moments on film. This is an entertaining movie, but it is also a balm for viewers who have experienced life-threatening illness, broken homes, coping with the elderly, and ultimately coping with death. It simply works. Grady Harp

refuge after break up. new universe. and different forms of love. lessons of life. and the change. the basic virtue of film is to remind the old fashion romantic comedies. and it is not a small thing. because the humor and performances and romanticism are at the right place. sure, not at the perfect place. but the war between woman and man, the evolution of emotions, the dialogues and the feel to meet, again, after a long time, familiar situations, are the good point for this film who represents the fine definition of the discover of the other.

Meg Ryan has always been one of my favorite actresses. I loved her in You've Got Mail, Joe Versus the Volcano, and virtually everything she has ever done. When I saw that she was coming out with a new movie, I was more than excited. In the Land of Women is an interesting look into the lives of several people who live in a small Michigan suburb.

Carter (Adam Brody), who happens to write scripts for pornos, has just been dumped by his famous actress/model girlfriend, and decides to go live with his grandmother in Michigan to get over it. His grandmother (Olympia Dukakis) is constantly thinking that she is dying, and is always trying to convince Carter that any minute could be her last. Sarah (played to absolute perfection by Meg Ryan), the woman from across the street, soon comes over to welcome Carter to the neighborhood, and the two become friends. The pair begin to take walks where Carter tells Sarah everything about his painful breakup while she tells him how her daughter resents her.

Sarah's daughter Lucy (Kristin Stewart) is the usual angsty teen girl, who's life is filled to the brim with regular, and some not-so-regular, teenage drama. Her boyfriend, the quarterback, is a total jerk and she thinks her mother doesn't care for her at all. When it is discovered that Sarah has breast cancer, Lucy must face her issues with her mother in order to show her that she loves her.

Overall, this movie is quite good. Meg Ryan is truly spectacular, and so is her material. The mistake that this film made, however, was shifting its focus from Sarah to Lucy. There have been so many teen movies that have dealt with the same thing, but Sarah's character (due to Meg Ryan) was incredibly original and well-developed. If the story had focused more on the friendship that developed between Carter and Sarah, the film would have been much more effective. Stewart does do a pretty good job with her material, but the applause must be given to Ryan for her exceptional performance. As usual, Adam Brody is his normal cynical and sarcastic self, but his scenes with Meg Ryan were quite good. If you are up for a dramatic film that deals with some of life's greatest challenges, then this one's for you.

My Grade: B- (But A+ for Meg Ryan's scenes)