In the Land of Women

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

This film is getting a 9 based soley on the completely misleading promotion.

I went into this expecting a love story between Carter Webb (Adam Brody) and Lucy Hardwicke (Kristen Stewart). I was expecting a dramatic age-gap romance with an ending about his having to go back to Los Angeles.

What I got was a totally confusing love hexagon that ended up not being about love at all.

Carter just got dumped. So he decides to go to Michigan to live with his grandmother (who is by far the best and most interesting character) and ends up becoming really close to the women across the street.

While it was moving, touching, and all that good stuff, I left the theater with one thought in my mind. "What the hell just happened?" It was fantastic. I would highly recommend it. However, I would not recommend expecting what I did. Don't go into this hoping that the trailers and poster (which show a lovely romance between Carter and Lucy) ring true to the film. That is not at all what the story is about. It would make a great film, in my opinion, and I still wish it had taken that direction, but sadly it did not. While still fantastic, you should expect a film about real people (with many flaws and weaknesses that humans have, like the inability to to stand up for themselves) not a movie like "She's All That" where the two young, good-looking people fall in love with an epic romance.

That is not this film. Go see it. But see it to see a great study on characters, not story.

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.

This movie was billed as a romantic comedy, but it's really a drama, and it was so much better than I expected! Redemptive and thought-provoking, this movie raises questions about if women and men can be friends without romantic undertones, and includes themes of forgiveness and living life fully. Meg Ryan is always real and lovable, and Adam Brody is a great counterpart. It's so great to see him as a leading man. I loved him in The O.C., but hopefully the bulk of his career is ahead of him. Scenes between him and the grandmother were hilarious. Very well directed. Definitely one to see with your friends and discuss over coffee afterwards--don't take your parents.

Finally, Hollywood is getting closer to emotional maturity and creativity. In the Land of Women was a delightful surprise. I recommend it to anyone who enjoys delving into the underlying thread of emotion connecting our relationships. As we meander through the sometimes messy connections between characters -- I don't remember any Hollywood sterilization of the situations. We continue, sometimes blind, just like the characters in the story -- and we get an excellent play-out of what ordinary "good" people do to strive to survive and better themselves.

We need more movies like this one -- a "chick-flick" that is more. It makes us think and it makes us feel!