Steve Pulaski
Carter Webb (Adam Brody), a young, attractive writer of softcore porn films, is at a restaurant one day when his equally young and famous girlfriend Sofia (Elena Anaya) reveals that she no long wants to see him, sending his life into an utter tailspin. Hopeless and out of options, Carter goes to spend time at his grandmother Phyllis's (Olympia Dukakis) home in Michigan, in a move which he feels will help him escape the deadline pressures of Los Angeles and ostensibly irreparable heartbreak. Across the street from Phyllis are three women: a single mother named Sarah (Meg Ryan), who is potentially suffering from breast cancer, and her two college-age daughters Paige and Lucy (Makenzie Vega and Kristen Stewart).Carter's plan for a quiet, restful vacation becomes disrupted when he realizes that as long as he's in Michigan, his stay will be dominated by females, particularly Lucy, whom he takes a liking to early on in his stay. Lucy is a lanky and slightly rebellious young woman, looking for her way in life and sees Carter as an older, more intelligent soul than herself. Despite this, Carter winds up connecting with the whole family, discovering Sarah's potentially cancerous breast lump and realizing that suffering is often the precursor to finding comfort in life and one's situation.This is the story of In the Land of Women, the first cinematic effort by Jon Kasdan, who would later go on to write and direct the incredibly natural and almost poetic romantic comedy The First Time. This effort, however, exhibits the tired old tropes of the genre, featuring a mopey, half-baked lead and an equally sulky, undeveloped love interest who, against all odds, find one another whilst experiencing personal tragedies. I could totally buy this story if Kasdan gave the characters the least bit of credible development, heart, and dialog. Instead, Carter, Lucy, Phyllis, and the majority of the characters here are shells of what they should be, and wit very few meaningful or dialog-driven scenes taking place, it's hard to find any kind of substance in these characters whatsoever.Films like this are hard to make work on a level that doesn't seem either self-serving for the respective writer/director or just privileged people bitching and moaning. Not long ago, I watched a film called Language of a Broken Heart, which, amidst a great deal of clichés and character generalizations, did one thing tremendously and that was detail a character who felt he had to be loved by someone or in a relationship in order to be successful; he couldn't function on his own and needed somebody by his side to encourage, love, and hold him. That is usually one detail that finds a way to disappear from the modern romantic comedy but Language of a Broken Heart dared focus on that element when few others did. Furthermore, a film like Wish I Was Here, Zach Braff's sophomore effort following his directorial debut Garden State (a film this finds itself similar to in why it doesn't work), which was predicated on smarmy humor, sarcastic and quick-witted dialog, and a surprisingly emotional climax.In the Land of Women detaches itself from all things character and emotional, leaving a film that tries to get by with lackluster, empty characters and unremarkable performances. The actors on display here, from Brody to the proved-capable Stewart, are starved for material that services them better than a screenplay as empty as this one. Kasdan seems to have a serious fascination with random encounters and almost divine occurrences, and these ideas have made for fantastic films. However, especially with this genre, which often has its writer/director walking on eggshells throughout the entire project, the bare basics for storytelling isn't going to cut it.Starring: Adam Brody, Meg Ryan, Kristen Stewart, Makenzie Vega, Olympia Dukakis, and Elena Anaya. Directed by: Jon Kasdan.
Ismaninb
Let's face it: The Land of Women is no La Dentelliere, no Il y a un long temps, no Preparez vos Mouchoirs and no Una giornata particulara. Still The Land of Women defies my prejudices. So an American relation movie can have black jokes. These jokes probably explains the negative reviews; I had a good laugh. Grandma of course shines but the others have their share too. Now and then I felt that I was watching at a spoof of American soap series. Of course if you think love and relation are subjects not to be mocked this is not for you. But isn't it great how Lucy tells Carter about her fathers love affair mirrors Sarah telling him the same? At the other hand The Land of Women remains very American, with the predictable objections. Everybody has a sterile beauty, even grandma has aged very well. Weather in general is fantastic and it rains at exactly the right moment. And on top of all: an American movie on relations, no matter how black the jokes are now and then, must have a happy ending. So the last 20 minutes become tedious and predictable. Still overall The Land of Women is very enjoyable if you have the right sense of humour.
