Themes: Wedding Bells, Schemes and Ruses, Mothers and Sons
Main Cast: Jennifer Lopez, Jane Fonda, Michael Vartan, Wanda Sykes, Adam Scott
Release Year: 2005
Country: US
Run Time: 100 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
It's not unusual to see two women fighting over the same man in a movie, only this time it's his mother and his fiancée vying for his attention in this broad comedy. While Charlotte Cantilini (Jennifer Lopez), known to her friends as Charlie, has never had much luck in her love life, one day her ship arrives in a big way when she meets Kevin Fields (Michael Vartan), a doctor who is charming, handsome, and wealthy. Kevin also has a famous mother, Viola Fields (Jane Fonda), who has enjoyed a long and successful career as a news broadcaster. When Kevin and Charlie fall head over heels for one another, he opts to propose marriage to her as he's introducing Charlie to Viola over lunch. However, as far as Viola is concerned, this could not come at a worse time -- Viola has just been fired from the anchor desk, and regards her son as the only anchor left in her life. Not willing to share Kevin with anyone, Viola sets out to sabotage his relationship with Charlie in any way she can, often with the wary assistance of her secretary Ruby (Wanda Sykes). But once Charlie gets wind of Viola's schemes, she decides two can play this game. Monster-in-Law marked Jane Fonda's return to the screen after a long leave of absence; it was her first film after co-starring with Robert De Niro in 1990's Stanley & Iris. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
James F. Truesdale - Art Director, Magnus Kim - Associate Producer, Ronna Kress - Casting, Kym Barrett - Costume Designer, Nicholas Mastandrea - First Assistant Director, Robert Luketic - Director, Kevin Tent - Editor, Scott Hill - Editor, Richard Brener - Executive Producer, Toby Emmerich - Executive Producer, Michael Flynn - Executive Producer, David Newman - Composer (Music Score), Dana Sano - Musical Direction/Supervision, Missy Stewart - Production Designer, Russell Carpenter - Cinematographer, Paula Weinstein - Producer, Chris Bender - Producer, J.C. Spink - Producer, Andrew Menzies - Set Designer, Anthony D. Parillo - Set Designer, Gary Bourgeois - Sound Mixer, Greg Orloff - Sound Mixer, Steve Cantamessa - Sound/Sound Designer, Anya Kochoff - Screenwriter, Michael Chock - Supervising Sound Editor, Susan Mina Eschelbach - Set Decorator
Charlie Cantilini (played by Jennifer Lopez) is a temp from Venice Beach, California, who meets surgeon Kevin Fields (played by Michael Vartan). She thinks he's gay at first and then Kevin asks her out, and Charlie believes that she's finally found the right man.
Things start to go wrong when Kevin introduces Charlie to his mother, Viola Fields (played by Jane Fonda). Viola is a former newscaster who has recently been replaced by someone younger, and is in the midst of a meltdown. Loathing Charlie from the outset, Viola becomes even more distraught when Kevin proposes to Charlie. Fearing that she'll lose her son the same way she lost her career, she sets out to destroy Kevin and Charlie's relationship. With her trusted assistant, Ruby (played by Wanda Sykes) who is secretly working against her, she tries everything possible to drive Charlie away.
Charlie eventually catches on to Viola's plan and fights back. On the wedding day, Viola turns up wearing a white dress instead of the dress specially made for her by Charlie. Then Viola's own dreadful mother-in-law, Gertrude (Elaine Stritch), appears and they have an argument. Gertrude's resentment of Viola bears a strong resemblance to Viola's feelings toward Charlie. Charlie decides to back down as she witnesses Gertrude and Viola's relationship. "Nothing's going to change," she laments to Viola after Gertrude leaves the room, "In thirty years that will be us."
Charlie exits to tell Kevin that the wedding is off. Ruby enters and talks with Viola. Viola is miffed that Charlie compared her to Gertrude; Ruby points out that Viola is actually worse than Gertrude. Ruby points out that Viola's efforts against Charlie, to make Kevin happy, are unwarranted. "Whatever made you think he wasn't?" is her final point. Viola has an epiphany and realizes that she wants Charlie to stay, and they reconcile.
Charlie and Kevin then get married and when Charlie throws her wedding bouquet Viola catches the flowers.
The movie was panned by critics,[1][2] but the $43-million movie became a box-office success, earning $83 million ($153.8 worldwide)[3] during its theatrical run in summer 2005.
Home media
The 2 disc set DVD was released 2005-08-30 with an audio commentary and these featurettes:
