Chronically Metropolitan

I can't decide if this is a failed movie about a dysfunctional family or just a failed movie. There is no plot and the characters are weak and uninteresting. Everybody is so undecided about their lives. And please tell the son to get a haircut. Its not interesting, its annoying. My rating of 7 is overly generous. I watched the whole movie but kept checking the time.

Fenton the writer returns home for a week, to a very hostile group. His own family, his ex, various friends and acquaintances around town. Some extra complications include his cheating father, in the hospital after an accident. The impending marriage of his ex girlfriend. Even his mother thinks it was wrong for fenton to write about the people around him, in such an obvious way. So much bickering. The mother seems to be willing to put up with dad's cheating, as long as she can nag him about it incessantly. At first. The usual dysfunctional family that most of us experienced, growing up. This seems to be about fenton returning to face his demons. He hurt a lot of people by writing about them in his book, then disappearing. Living with one's choices. Regret. Forgiveness. Lots of long, thoughtful scenes, with music playing in the background. It's okay... a thinker film. No big car chases or adventure in this one. Directed by xavier manrique, his third film direction. Story by nicholas schutt.

Everything that happens in this film is right off the "indie quirky cute funny sad happily ever after wealthy dysfunctional family drama" checklist.

While the story line is unfailingly familiar, the characters are played by mostly engaging actors and the film doesn't bog down in any one place for too long so you are able to watch to the end without getting bored or surprised.

This film was described in one blurb as clever and cynical, and maybe it was back in the '70s, but now it's just tame and typical.

Slow, plodding, boring, and depressing. I stopped watching half way through, just couldn't take any more "I'm sorry" every other scene.

Instead, go empty the trash and clip your toe nails, at least you'll get something done.

I agree with previous reviews about the coldness of the characters, but l guess the real people who inspired the story are like that. The word 'cynical' is right there in the description so we were kind of warned.. It's very hopeful, the choices Fenton the protagonist makes are changing. Maybe that's not done in the most clever way (: but it is nice.

Of course the cinematography is very fun and draws you in.

Chris Noth is wildly entertaining and lively as a terrible husband and womanizer, not that it is a surprise to be entertained by Noth.

Side note: Seeing Mary-Louise Parker as a desperate housewife was sad, it's not like her......