Fridae

Monster-in-Law is a tribute to older fags/dykes in more
ways than one. It pits the older wiser woman (Jane Fonda) against
the younger carefree one (J Lo). And it portrays the differences
between the mature women of substance versus the 20-something women
who think their youth and beauty are enough to live on.

Although J Lo's younger woman character is portrayed with more
sympathy than that (she is the star, after all), the movie's undertone
is basically that.

Jane play's Viola, a famous TV interviewer a la Barbara
Walters who is about to be replaced in her job by a younger and
less-skilled woman. On her final assignment, Viola has to interview
a vapid Britney Spears-type of popstar who proudly proclaims that
she has never read the newspaper.

Upset by how contemporary society seems to value youth and beauty
above experience, Viola gets another shock when her surgeon son
(the ultra-yummy Michael Vartan) announces that he wants to marry
a beautiful but low-class temp worker (J Lo). Viola tries to stop
the wedding in every way she can — even to the point of poisoning
her prospective daughter-in-law...

While Jane is completely wacky and wonderful in her role, the rest
of the movie is unfortunately tepid, superficial and not nearly
as fun as it should be. Most of the time, Monster-in-Law bounces
along in a likeable way, but it never gets you rolling in the aisles
the way a good screwball comedy should.

Still, Monster-in-Law should hold some appeal to gay audiences
as it is directed by Robert Luketic, whose first two films —
Legally Blonde and Win a Date with Tad Hamilton
— were very popular among gay men.