*Get "Because I Said So" on Amazon here*
This monstrosity is about overbearing mother Daphne (Diane Keaton) going online to find a mate for her quirky daughter Milly (Mandy Moore), settling on architect Jason (Tom Everett Scott). Hipster musician Johnny (Gabriel Macht) makes a play for Milly, and now she's bedding both dudes, possible STD infestations be damned, and fighting with Daphne, and her feelings for the Jason and Johnny.
Instead of playing her role as overbearing, Keaton chose to interpret Daphne as the same stuttering ditz she played in the equally terrible "The First Wives Club," as well as many of her later films. I remember when Keaton was an amazing actress- not so much here. The film makers put her through a bunch of slapstick situations that are embarrassing for performer and viewer. Entire scenes unravel to the point where I paused the DVD, turned to my wife, and asked "What is this? What am I witnessing here?"
Really? We had to throw in a freaking musical number, too? Before you argue that I don't get this because I don't have the right genitalia, I am hard-pressed to think of any film relationship between parent and child that is this poorly written and acted. Moore brings her same old scrunchy-eyebrow, pouty-lipped performance, going schizophrenic in singular scenes. Her paramours' reactions to finding out they are being cheated on with each other falls flat, as do all of the "hilarious" set-pieces. I kept having to remind myself this was a comedy. One of the many low points comes when Daphne loses her voice for no other reason than writing notes to supporting characters is funny, I guess?
Don't watch this because I said so.
Stats:
(2007) 102 min. (1/10) out of five stars
-Directed by Michael Lehmann
-Written by Karen Leigh Hopkins & Jessie Nelson
-Cast: Diane Keaton, Mandy Moore, Tom Everett Scott, Gabriel Macht, Lauren Graham, Piper Perabo, Stephen Collins, Ty Panitz, Matt Champagne, Colin Ferguson, Tony Hale, Sophina Brown, Karen Leigh Hopkins
(PG-13)
