The basic storyline is this: Olivia (Jennifer Aniston) is a down-in-the-dumps-pothead, ex-teacher turned full-time house cleaner. Needless to say, she has seen better days. As a result, her better off married friends try and comfort her through her struggles, but they are not without their own issues.
Franny and Matt (Joan Cusack/Greg Germann) are mega-wealthy (so much so that Franny doesn’t have to work), but must deal with their two kids. Christine and David (Catherine Keener/Jason Isaacs) are a pair of screenwriters who have many quirks dealing with co-writing a script and coping with the hectic entertainment industry. Lastly, Jane and Aaron (Frances McDormand/Simon McBurney) are designers, lost in their own marriage, not sure of themselves or even their identities - Aaron is suspected of being gay, for one, while Jane is chronically depressed. The key theme here is that we all have issues, no matter how perfect our lives seem, or how much money is on our bank statement. No one escapes life’s troubles. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find some comedy within…
Thus, we fall into a series of get togethers and gossip sessions where the ladies try and sort out the details of their lives, all while the “impending doom” of their mid-life crises rears over their shoulders.
Cue the funny business!
I was surprised at how humorous this film was. It seemed from the outset that it was more of a drama, but melds the two genres quite nicely into a quaint “dramedy.”
The performances are pretty solid throughout, although Aniston seems to fall back on her less than stellar track record at times, while Keener and McDormand shine throughout. I have always regarded Keener as a really talented actress, but also one that seems to hold you with her magnetic smile alone. McDormand is equally talented, but obviously isn’t as eye-catching. The dialogue is rather realistic and doesn’t seem to get too cute either, always a good thing in my book. There is not a weak link in the female cast, although the men don’t seem to make any lasting impact. But perhaps that was intended.
While I am not female and far from middle-aged, I can still relate to many of the issues present in this film, such as loneliness and finding your match, as well as the professional level of fulfillment from work, or the lack thereof. The targeted audience will just gobble this movie up, and may just delight a few outside the intended demographic.
