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Review #511 of 365
Movie Review of The Nanny Diaries (2007) [PG-13] 106 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $12.00
Where Viewed: United Artists Denver Pavilions Stadium 15, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 24 August 2007
Time: 11:45 am
DVD Release Date: 4 December 2007 (click date to purchase or pre-order)
Film's Official Website • Film's Trailer
Soundtrack: order the CD below
Directed by: Shari Springer Berman (American Splendor) • Robert Pulcini (American Splendor)
Screenplay by: Shari Springer Berman (American Splendor) • Robert Pulcini (American Splendor) based on the novel by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Scarlett Johansson (The Prestige) • Laura Linney (Breach) • Nicholas Art (Syriana) • Chris Evans (Sunshine) • Donna Murphy (The Fountain) • Alicia Keys (Smokin' Aces) • Paul Giamatti (The Illusionist) • ()
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Based on the New York Times #1 best seller by former Upper East Side Manhattan nannies, Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, fans of the book and Julia Robert's audio-book reading, should be aware that much has been changed for the film version. Nan has become Annie (Scarlett Johansson), a New Jersey girl, and recent college graduate who majored in anthropology and whose single parent nurse mom, Judy Braddock (Donna Murphy), envisions her snaring a low-level-with-lots-of-upward-mobility position at Goldman-Sachs, only to find out much later, after months of lies, that the daughter who enjoyed the benefits of her every sacrifice has become a domestic servant. Nan's best friend Lynette (Alicia Keys) sides with her mother in that she should be doing something bigger and better with her life, but agrees to help keep up the charade convincing her mom she's gotten a very demanding position with a bank. The reality for Annie is that, after an exquisitely written intro set in dioramas at the Natural History Museum with an anthropologist's perspective on various cultures and their raising of children revealing her true interest in becoming an anthropologist, she's now hopelessly lost about what to do in the world.
"… a clever and funny film ultimately leading to overdue female empowerment after many wrong turns. "
She would never have chosen to be a nanny, instead, the profession chooses her when she unexpectedly rescues a lad from certain danger. Young Grayer X (Nicholas Art) has wandered right into the path of a distracted Segway rider in Central Park. Her selfless act and attention to detail in saving him from certain catastrophe attracts the watchful eye of Mrs. X (Laura Linney) who immediately hopes to lure her into becoming the family's next Nanny, the previous one recently having been lost to impending nuptials (or so Mrs. X says). After a major wooing and interview process with many Upper East Side moms, Annie becomes Nanny for the Xs. She has no idea that the wooing, however, is sort of a smokescreen for what lies ahead. The wining and dining end the moment the deal is sealed. She arrives to the luxurious apartment home to find Mrs. X gone shopping and a note that she's to pick up Grayer at 2:15 from pre-school. Her bath is interrupted by the dismayed lady of the house who demands to know what she's doing in the guest room—Annie had assumed this was to be her room. "No, Nanny, this is your room," Mrs. X redirects Annie to her quarters--a dingy little room with 1950s décor and a view of a bricked alley. Thus begins the downward spiral of her professional and personal life. Arriving sharply at 2:15, she's informed that school ends at 2:45, and it appears that Mrs. X will be ensuring that she's never going to be late anywhere again. Upon meeting up again with Grayer, she finds the little boy who seemed to adore her that day in the park when she saved his life, now sees her has the instrument of his mother's preoccupation with micromanaging every instant of his life with the sole aim of acquiring an admission slot at Collegiate, the same prep school his father, Mr. X (Paul Giamatti), attended. She's to help in this by speaking French with him three times per week, following a long list rules such as no subways due to germs, no napping during the day to ensure an early bedtime, no rubbing up against the walls, no going into the master bedroom, and so on. It doesn't take long before the obnoxious, self-important, abhorrent life of Mrs. X begins to torture Annie. She's got no life, no personal time, and the only thing keeping her going is a feeling she's now the Margaret Mead of Manhattan. That, and a chance encounter with a dashing young dude in the elevator of the Xs's building to whom she refers only as "Harvard Hottie" (Chris Evans) for fear that being on a first-name basis might lead to a more significant relationship than she's permitted to enjoy under the Mrs. X's rules. Mr. X, by the way, is embroiled in a giant corporate merger making him even more of an absentee member of the household than usual as predicated by the fact that on top of work he's carrying out at least one affair that we know of but about which Mrs. X either is completely in the dark or in perilous denial. Adding to the Annie's misery is a growing sense that were she have followed the path outlined by her hopeful mother, this might be exactly how her life would eventually turn out.
In some ways it seems almost like negative praise to say that Laura Linney is wickedly splendid as Mrs. X. She perfectly captures the self-absorbed nature of the character while shielding the true emotional roller coaster of a woman who has left every essence of her own hopes and dreams in the pocket of the doorman. She is no longer a real person but every bit just as much of an accessory herself as very other possession of Mr. X. Such a shallow and vane existence, it's not difficult to understand why she's become the person she's become. Scarlett Johansson takes well to her role too, though the role lacks the verve of her nemesis. Nicholas Art is adorable as Grayer. The little guy seems to have an intuitive sense regarding the complexity of the relationships his character is stuck squarely in the middle. It's priceless to watch Grayer warm up to Annie over a jar of Goobers®--the half peanut butter / half jelly in-the-jar concoction--over which they finally bond. Paul Giamatti is typically smarmy and probably an overly villainous choice for the role of the disaffected Mr. X. Meanwhile, one has to wonder how many more roles like this Chris Evans will have to take before he gets something more seriously worthy of his talents. Still, he's funny and serves a vital role in the film in helping Annie grow beyond the Xs and recapture herself.
On top of the obvious indictment of the lifestyles of Upper East Siders provided by The Nanny Diaries and the book before it, the film has some valuable moments regarding women's issues and their futures. With all of the best intentions for her daughter, is Judy's plan for Annie one that actually would have led her down the path of misery? This story shows how pathetically little times have changed since the days of Jane Austen's characters. There are still far too many mothers who feel the best and most obvious route for their daughters is to sacrifice all elements of self to become a trophy wife of a rich guy. This attitude was ironic coming from a single parent mom with a successful career in nursing. Why does she so discourage her daughter's passion for anthropology? She even snarks on Annie's notion that she could make a living in that profession. No, better to get an entry level finance position and catch the eye of the V.P. of Customer Relations. That's the ticket. The film shows in an all too unfriendly, yet nonetheless hilarious fashion, how the lives of these women can turn out, and it's not a pretty sight.
Co-directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini did some artistically interesting things with the film. The camera work is always interesting, and the museum dioramas that capture the slices of life in the film were clever. In the end, The Nanny Diaries is a clever and funny film ultimately leading to overdue female empowerment after many wrong turns.
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Other Projects Featuring The Nanny Diaries (2007)
Cast Members
Scarlett Johansson • Laura Linney • Nicholas Art
Chris Evans • Donna Murphy • Alicia Keys
Paul Giamatti
Directors
Shari Springer Berman • Robert Pulcini
Writers
Shari Springer Berman • Robert Pulcinibook
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Review-lite
The Nanny Diaries (2007) [max of 150 words]
Based on the New York Times #1 best seller by former Upper East Side Manhattan nannies, much has been changed for the film version of The Nanny Diaries. Nan has become Annie (Scarlett Johansson), a New Jersey girl, and recent college graduate who majored in anthropology suddenly thrust into the world of nanny-dom when she rescues Grayer X from certain death in Central Park. Mrs. X (Laura Linney) immediately lures here into becoming Grayer's nanny, and her life is unexpectedly turned for the better and worse. Co-directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini did some artistically interesting things with the film. The camera work is always interesting, and the museum dioramas that capture the slices of life in the film were clever. In the end, The Nanny Diaries is a clever and funny film ultimately leading to overdue female empowerment after many wrong turns.
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1 comment:
Chris Evans was amazing! I have seen all three of his movies this summer: FF2, Sunshine, and now the Nanny Diaries. Cannot wait for his next film. What is it anyway? Let me know! Thanx!
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