The Nanny Diaries was unexpectedly both funny and sad. Scarlett Johansson brought genuine warmth to her role of a bright student who decides to be a high society nanny in order to find herself. Other than the fact that I found it hard to believe that any self-respecting smart young woman with a hard working single parent mom, would voluntarily wait hand and foot on a spoiled rich woman (whose most tiring moment of a day is getting in and out of a limo) a tad unbelievable, Johansson was sweet and endearing. Laura Linney, was akin to Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada, in her intelligent portrayal of a character who could have easily been one dimensional. But the person who really stole the show was the adorable tyke, when he tells Johansson to never leave him, I swear I felt a tear. The Nanny Diaries was a witty and humane look at a certain side of high class society, with its pretense, superficiality and sincerity. Unfortunately the film tended to generalize but at the end of the day..it may not have been as entertaining had it not. Money really cannot buy happiness...who knew??
What I loved most: Jodie Foster and Terrence Howard
What I really hated: Script...the lines that made me laugh in disbelief when I knew I was not supposed to
I love Jodie Foster and that was the reason I went to see this film..that and the trailer. Unfortunately the better trailer the worse the actual film. The movie chronicles the life of Erica Bain, a radio commentator about to marry the love of her life (Naveen Andrews). Her life changes forever when she and her fiance are brutally beaten by a gang in the middle of a public park. Her fiance dies and Erica Bain sets out for vengeance. Facing a police force, too overworked to be concerned with her case, she takes matters into her hands. She is supposed to be a "vigilante" - eye for an eye, tooth for a tooth. The audience is supposed to believe that this woman undergoes a complete transformation overnight and goes from someone who have never held a gun to a woman who'd killing you for touching a kid's ipod. From lines such as "I want my dog back" to a script that almost condones the idea that violence is alright if for the right motive, the movie was painful to watch. When the audience is giggling at the movie's most pivotal scene - you know you shouldnt have paid to see this mess unfold.
The only saving grace, graces rather, are Jodie Foster and Terrence Howard. Jodie as usual is enigmatic and real, Terrence was charismatic and believable, the chemistry between the two of them electric. But theres only so much great actors can do with a bad plot. Some may find the movie intense and gripping.. I found it predictable and almost laughable. It had us saying "vigilante" in hushed tones and bursting out in laughter for weeks afterwards...
