Mère-fille, mode d'emploi

Once again Hollywood marketing has classified a heartfelt drama as a rip roaring comedy. Georgia Rule is no laughing matter, but it is a powerful, worthwhile movie with an outstanding cast. Forget all the critic's reviews -- they don't "get it".

The opening is a little slow but it accurately portrays the strained relationships and secrets in this family. Fonda and Huffman are brilliant and so is Lohan. Given the press surrounding Lohan during the filming, my expectations were pretty low and I was very surprised at how good she was and how good the movie was.

It's a great movie to open dialog with your Mom or your resident teenager. Take the R rating seriously - it's a mature chick flick - one of the best.

Garry Marshall did a good job at handling a heavy subject. There are a couple of laughs along the way for comedy relief, but this is a movie that will stay with you. Go see it.

Before watching the DVD of Georgia Rule last night, I knew nothing about the film other than it was savaged by critics and was a huge theatrical bomb. I was pleasantly surprised at how good it was though, especially the acting from Lindsay Lohan. Her character in the film, as well as in real life, is one messed up young woman. Doing or saying whatever is needed at the time to get her through the situation, her character is very realistic and believable. I personally know a young woman with just these types of issues and reactions. Ms. Lohan's acting ability is phenomenal - and like other amazing, but difficult, actors, her off-screen antics never show up in the finished product. If she can straighten her life out, an Academy Award will be hers someday.

As always, it's wonderful seeing Jane Fonda back on the silver screen - and she looks superb! Too bad Mary Tyler Moore went crazy with the plastic surgery or she could (and should!) look this good now, too. Felicity Huffman is, as usual, stunning - her work is simply too good to ignore - hopefully, her and her husband, William H. Macy, will act together in the future. I'm surprised he wasn't involved in this project as a producer or something, like he was in Transamerica.

This film is difficult - it's a very, very serious film with deep, hard-to-watch issues going on. Yet, at the same time, Garry Marshall has tried to make it a light-hearted comedy too - it can't be both. From the looks of the finished product, I'd say a lot of the film ended up on the cutting room floor - too many scenes are simply not dealt with the way they should have been - like when Jane goes to buy the liquor - where's the struggle with the issue of what she is doing? Nowhere - instead we are treated to a, supposed, comical scene of her trying to hide the fact she's bought the liquor. Bizarre! It's like the film makers felt the movie had gotten too heavy at that point and needed some comic relief. Strange! The Mormon aspect was dealt with poorly too - the guy's issues with not having pre-marital sex rang false - an LDS (Mormon) church member, who was raised in the church, would know the reason why pre-marital sex is frowned upon, not just that it would "make God mad." The writer seems to know no more about the LDS religion and beliefs than some person told him - and he seemed to do no more in-depth research about it.

Still, don't let these complaints turn you off from seeing Georgia Rule. It's well worth your 2 hours.

As a victim of abuse my self, I can well understand the denial of the mother, especially if she was already a boozer. The grandmother, so well played by Jane Fonda, obviously felt the guilt from turning her own child into an alcoholic, who then allowed this abuse to go on under her roof. She became the typical non-defending parent.

The scene with Delmot Maroney (simon) in which he talks to her about the different kinds of love between an older man and a young woman (friend, parent) that differs from the abusive kind, rings quite true. Because, for people like us, it's hard to tell the difference as you emerge from your parental Hell.

You only know how to relate in a sexual manner with any man. It takes a lot of education and experience to learn to appreciate and enjoy the other kinds of love and affection. Until then, it all seems fake. Don't know what the reviewers had to say about this, but I appreciate Jane and Gary for actually tackling such a loaded subject.

I'm not sure why I decided to rent Georgia Rule, but I guess you could just color me intrigued since this is the film that I heard where Lindsay Lohan caused all that trouble on being late constantly or not showing up on set. I really had no idea what this movie was about, but I watched it last night expecting probably an over the top chick flick, but actually it wasn't bad. Over all I would say that the story was very good and the actors did a good job, I mean say what you want about Lindsay, she is a good actress you have to admit. The only thing I was a bit disappointed with was the ending, but I'm not going to give that away, it's something you'll just have to see for yourselves. But the rest of the story was really good, funny at times, and very touching.

Rachel is a young trouble maker from California coming to Idaho to see her grandmother, Georgia, and stay with her for the summer. Rachel already stirs up quite a bit of trouble around the town when she messes around with a Christian boy, she makes the moves on a widowed man, and the fact that she is very blunt about things. But things take a different turn when she tells Simon, the widower and her boss, that she was molested by her step dad. He tells Georgia and Georgia calls her daughter, Rachel's alcoholic mother, Lily, comes to find out if that's the truth or not, Rachel for once doesn't wanna cause trouble and tells her mom it's all a lie. Georgia won't tolerate this though, she knows there's something wrong and has to let Rachel know that there are people there who love her and remind her the difference between right and wrong.

The story was really good I think, some of the characters could have used a little more developing, but it still worked. Was it a chick flick? Oh, yeah. But I think this is one of those rare one's that I don't mind. The girls did a great job on acting, so did Dermot Mulroney who played Simon. The ending was just a bit flat and I felt like there could have been a better conclusion, but you'll see if you watch it. But I would recommend it if you are just looking for a fun little flick for the afternoon. Georgia Rule is a good movie that will make you laugh and will touch your heart.

6/10

I won't lie--this was not the best movie I've ever seen, but it was pretty darn good. I didn't really expect much from Lohan but she actually blew me away. My one gripe about Lohan was her age portrayal. It was hard to believe she was seventeen with a smoker's rasp and second-skin jeans. Fonda on the other hand... not her best work, she was completely generic. Huffman's performance was humorous, although a little dark. Her alcoholism is pretty believable except the antibuse thing. The movie was amusing and the unexpected plot twist kept me stringing along for the duration of the movie trying to figure it all out, but not in a frustrating way. Overall I think this movie was far better than expected and totally enjoyable.