After the
release of Almost Famous, Kate Hudson has led a trail of mediocre
romantic comedies. All of these have had their fair share of redeeming
qualities, but with all said and done, have not been worth the hassle of
seeing. Despite my granting it the same grade as Le Divorce, Alex
and Emma, and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, Raising Helen
is a small step up for Hudson. Like her previous three projects, it is an
instantly forgettable chick-flick with a few amusing moments, ultimately
failing because of a clichéd ending. However, this movie actually has wit,
unlike the other three. I’m tempted to recommend it, but upon reflection, it
would be even harder for me to say that it earns such a merit. It is still
very nice to watch Hudson climb out of the hole that she has been digging
herself into for about the last two years, though. Maybe her next outing
will bring actual quality.
With each movie she’s in, I am truly pulling for
Hudson. This is because the reasons for the failures of the movies she stars
in are not results of her. She is a bubbly, charming performer, utilizing
every bit of material that is given to her (which usually isn’t much). Her
work is what saves most of the hell-sent creations she participates in, and
I suppose in doing this, she is helping modern Hollywood. Such a title may
seem honorable, albeit silly, but it is completely Hudson’s own doing, too.
She is what we critics call a bad script-picker, lacking the ability to
predict the resulting quality of a motion picture before it is made. Each
time I see her act, I always feel as though she’s victimizing herself to the
wrath of terrible writers. Jack Amiel and Michael Begler penned the
screenplay for Raising Helen, and even though their dialogue serves
as a cut above for our leading lady’s vocal chords, it is nothing
extraordinary.
In Raising Helen, Hudson plays Helen
Harris, a likeable executive for a modeling agency, who becomes a mother
overnight. And no, it isn’t because she is knocked up by one of her
pretty-boy clients. Instead, she receives full custody of her two nieces and
nephew when her sister and brother-in-law die in a car accident. Her other
sister, Jenny (Joan Cusack), was expecting to take in the children, seeing
that she is an experienced parent, and Helen is a bit of a flake. But the
kids’ parents had their reasons for doing what they did. As the three’s new
mom, Helen must manage her life and money more carefully. There is, of
course, romance in the movie, too. After a while, Helen and Pastor Dan (John
Corbett), the principal of the Lutheran school she sends the children to,
develop a relationship. A lot of Raising Helen is actually quite
heartwarming and some of it is funny. This is not to say that it isn’t
abundant in downtime, though, carrying a near two-hour running length.
The only other movie listed on director Garry
Marshall’s resume that I’ve seen is the truly awful Princess Diaries.
From what I’ve observed, he is not all that bad at what he does, finding
somewhat of a correct balance between liveliness and sentimentality in his
work. However, it is not hard to conclude that, after looking at all of the
movies he has taken part in, he has a certain way of cursing productions
with potential. Despite this, I am still not yet convinced that he should
stop doing what he does.
With not much else worth even considering
viewing, Raising Helen should make a delightful matinee for hungry
moviegoers. It certainly doesn’t promise much more than it delivers.
Nevertheless, if Kate Hudson were to find herself just one great
script, the entire world would be a lot better off. It would make me feel as
though writing reviews on all of her mediocre pictures has been worth it. I
still have not lost hope in just this happening, and it is what keeps me
attending the films that she stars in. If only Dreamworks would’ve left
Almost Famous on the shelf until now. Then, and only then, would Hudson
impress me. Yeah; that would be the day.
-Danny, Bucket Reviews (5.29.2004)
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