Review: I wasn't a massive fan of this film because I found it a bit far fetched and over the top in parts. Its about a busy New York woman, Jackie, who finds it hard to let her son go when it's time for him to go to college and before he leaves, he spends some time with his dad in Los Angeles. She then decides to visit his college to give him a few bits and pieces and she is told that he dropped out, without telling her a thing. At this point she should have just called him to discuss his decision not to go to college but she jumps on a plane and hires a limo to spy on him, so she can see what he is up to. Her cover is blown when the limo driver crashes into his car and he's not too happy about her being in Los Angeles. Her son has a deep passion for surfing so she takes up the sport to spy on him. She realises that it's not as easy as it seems, so she hires an instructor to teach her how to surf. Within a few minutes, she falls for the strapping instructor, played by Luke Wilson and she carries on pursuing her son to try and convince him to go back to college. Its a weird comedy which has a couple of funny moments but there isn't that much going on. Her son has no respect for his mum and he just talks to her like crap half of the time. The acting isn't bad but there isn't much depth to the characters, especially Jackie who obviously has mother and son issues. The father also seemed to be missing through most of the movie and he didn't have that much to say when she showed up at his house in the middle of the night, cursing in front of his little daughter. Anyway, it's a watchable feel good movie about self discovery and relationships but it's not one that I will be watching again soon. Average!
Round-Up: This is the second movie directed by Helen Hunt who also directed, wrote and starred in Then She Found Me with Better Midler and Colin Firth. Personally, I think that the script could have done with a rewrite because of the lack of information about the individual characters. Anyway, at 52 years old, she has starred in over 80 movies which are mostly drama and romantic comedies. She won an Oscar in 1998 for her brilliant role in As Good As It Gets, alongside Jack Nicholson who also won an Oscar for best actor and she hit top form in 2000 with Pay It Forward, Cast Away and What Women Wants but she has gone under the radar since then. After having a 3 year break after her directorial debut, she has struggled to hit the same form that she had in 2000 but she still pops up in a few movies now and again like Bobby and the Sessions were she was nominated for another Oscar for best supporting role. This film also starred Australian born Brenton Thwaites, 26, who recently starred in the Giver, Maleficent, Son of a Gun and the Signal. I did find his character annoying in this movie but thats down to writing more than his acting ability. He has a role in the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie and in God's of Egypt with Gérard Butler so he has a lot to look forward to. Anyway, Helen Hunts spoilt brat, attitude throughout this movie gets a bit much after a while and her sons lack of respect for her also let's the film down.
I recommend this movie to people who are into their comedy/dramas about a woman who follows her son to Los Angeles to find out why he has dropped out of college. 3/10
