The Trouble with Dee Dee

This movie is a riot - we were lucky enough to see it at the Chicago International Film Festival and the entire audience laughed out loud throughout the film. Lisa Ann Walter (playing Dee Dee) is a comic genius: She brings so much dimension to the character. Dee is crazy, lovable, annoying and courageous all at once. She's so "out there" that you just can't help but root for her. Kurtwood Smith gives a powerful performance as Dee Dee's father. The scene in his painting studio/office where he "loses it" was superb; and the one in the hospital with his loyal assistant Stuart (played by Jeff Clampitt)is great also. The rest of the cast is excellent too. Keep a watch out for J.P. Manoux, because he is going places for sure. This is Mike Meiners' first full feature movie, but it does not show at all. The directing, editing, etc. is top-notch, and the soundtrack is awesome. I really hope others get to see this film - it is laugh-out-loud-funny. Mike Meiners' full-feature debut is a hit.

Thank you all for your comments both positive and negative. This industry thrives on people talking about our movies. I'd just like to address a comment from an otherwise spot-on remark from "dedmouse." Thank you for defending me but the editing that so bothered you is ENTIRELY my "fault." I do not believe in "the line" that most filmmakers find it taboo to cross. I believe today's audiences have seen enough filmed entertainment and behind-the-scenes documentaries to understand they're not watching a play but looking through a camera that can be moved and are no longer prone to becoming disoriented when the camera captures something from the other side of a scene. I may be wrong. It does certainly seem to be disorienting to filmmakers. Also, in terms of the shots going from CU to master to over-the- shoulder in a slipshod way, you may be right. My priority was the actors' performances. Whatever brought out the best verbal timing, best reaction, facial expression, tone, etc. won out over issues of visual pacing and was placed in the movie. It was simply my priority. I was heavily involved with the editing and was the final word on editing decisions. It's entirely possible that these were lousy decisions - I just thought it would be in the spirit of these comment pages to let you know that they were on purpose and that they were my call. --Mike Meiners, Director

The Trouble With DeeDee in so many words is that she'd like to be Auntie Mame for the 21st century. But Rosalind Russell did not have a father looking over her shoulder. And in fact Mame Dennis did spend herself into bankruptcy, had her nephew taken from her custody, and was lucky enough to marry wealthy again and inherit it when she became a widow. All that does not happen in The Trouble With DeeDee.

What does happen is Kurtwood Smith as her father is about to lose what little remaining hair he has over the behavior of his irrepressible daughter Lisa Ann Walter. He's looking to retire and wants his daughter and one and only child to straighten out and start assuming the responsibility of the Rutherford Foundation where she will be the only blood Rutherford on the board if that ever happens.

So after a few warnings which Smith eventually throws out DeeDee and her entourage which include her son Mason Gamble who is gay and her factotum J.P. Manoux. Gamble would also like his mother to grow up, he's growing up faster than she, but he does support her eccentricities up to a point and she despite some misgivings supports him and his sexual orientation.

What happens in this film is that Smith and Walter meet each other halfway so to speak. Maybe even more for Smith who realizes his daughter though flaky is a person of a good heart.

Script and story are the bedrock of any film and I did like the characters that were created and brought to life by the players here. In fact Lisa Ann Walter ought to consider touring in Mame.

I caught this hilarious film at the East Lansing Film Festival and it was my favorite of the festival.

The very vivacious Dee Dee frequently goes on wild adventures, living her life to fullest. But when her millionaire father can no longer handle her crazy antics he cuts her off from his fortune. Forced to manage for herself, Dee Dee still manages to be her same spirited self.

This movie is always entertaining. When the first scene started I laughed out loud and as the rest of the movie played the laughter never stopped. Lisa Ann Walter is perfectly cast as the title character. All of her lines are hilariously delivered, it's impossible not to love her. Mason Gamble is also wonderful as Christopher, Dee Dee's gay son who hesitantly accompanies her on the many escapades. Along with Dee Dee and Christopher, the family helper Yugo, also hilariously played by J.P. Manoux, joins the two as well. And Kurtwood Smith does a marvelous job as William Rutherford, Dee Dee's father, it really is a nice performance that helps make the film work.

What I love about the film is how charming and amusing it is. There are so many little touches throughout the film, it's fun to spot all the small jokes while huge jokes are taking place. And the film flows so nicely, though the story has been told before, the characters are so well written and they all have such great qualities, it's a different experience.

Written and directed by Meiners, it's a lovely film that everyone will enjoy. It's the hunt and the kill baby and I'm glad I hunted down this film.

A must see comedy that will have you shocked and laughing all at once. Lisa Ann Walter as Dee Dee Rutherford is absolutely outrageous and audacious. She takes us through the restrictive obstacles of modern living e.g. driving within the speed limits-and her responses are an imaginative spin on normal acceptable behavior. Things get a bit tough on Dee Dee when her father retires and decides it is mano a womano with his daughter. Her father, like old King Lear, strips his only daughter of everything, food, money, shelter until she decides to live according to daddy's rules. Dee Dee cannot and will not be tamed. with hardly a shrug she says okay, fine. I don't need it anyway. And she doesn't. a rollicking and tender hearted ending ensues wherein DeeDee reunites everyone by giving them a bit of what they want from her. Ms Walter deedeelightfully carries the day in this feature.