GIRL MOST LIKELY – The Review

Here’s a new film that offers another take on the tension-filled grown daughter/mother dynamic that’s been explored in films like TERMS OF ENDEARMENT and ONE TRUE THING. Often the adult daughter is treated like a child by the up-tight stern mother, while in other films the daughter is exasperated by the immature-behaving mother, as seen recently in PEACE, LOVE, AND MISUNDERSTANDING. This new flick, GIRL MOST LIKELY, has a bit of both, leaning toward comedy since said girl is the star of 2011’s Summer smash BRIDESMAIDS, SNL vet Kristen Wiig. Happily this film gives us an opportunity to also relish the comedy stylings of one of our best dramatic actresses, Annette Benning, as the wacky, flighty momma. And the flick is variation of the rags to riches then back to rags tale. But the main focus is the homestead, and as the old jokes says, “You can’t pick your family!”.

Life in the Big Apple is wonderful for Imogene (Wiig). She writes for a major magazine and shares a lush apartment with her successful dream man Peter. They spend their evenings flitting from one big social event to the next. And Peter’s going to pop the question any minute. It’s a world away from her New Jersey roots. Then everything goes right down the tubes. On the cab ride home from one of those big parties, Peter tells her that he’s moving out. They’re done. The big break-up sends Imogene into a tailspin of despair. After being fired from her job, she stages a desperate scene that she hopes will cause Peter to come running back to her. Instead she ends up in the custody of her estranged mother Zelda (Benning) who drives her back to her childhood home just outside Atlantic City. Imogene loves seeing her socially awkward, crab-loving inventor brother Ralph (Christopher Fitzgerald), but is leery of the guy her widowed mother has shacked-up with, “the Bousche” (Matt Dillon) who claims to be a secret agent. And worst of all Mom has rented out her old bedroom to a casino entertainer, Lee (Darren Criss). Happily some news about her deceased father sparks a ray of hope about returning to NYC and getting her old life back. Can Imogene escape this house of misfits and head back to the posh Park Avenue set?

The fact that we’re rooting for Imogene is a testament to the likeability and acting skills (both comedic and dramatic) of Ms.Wiig. This displaced snob can veer into shallow and bitter territory, but Wiig gives us a woman who had to have the rug pulled out from under her in order to get back in touch with her compassionate side. This comes into play during her many scenes with Fitzgerald as the shy, man-child whose determination and drive often over ride his common sense. You understand why his big sister will protect him at all costs (even getting a glitter treatment to scope out the gal who’s captured his heart) and do all she can to literally pull him out of his shell.. Wiig is an even greater comic teaming with Benning. Her Zelda is a flamboyant “cougar”-type who is enjoying the sensual passions of her latter days. She too can be frustrating, but will do anything for the kids even when they don’t appreciate her. Besides those siblings, she really lives for the casinos and her little “Boussche”. Dillon’s very funny in dishing out wisdom to Wiig as his eyes dash about while he mind whips up another outrageous story from his past. Criss show us that he’ll have a nice cinematic career past his “Glee” TV days as he stands up to Wiig and eventually charms her (helped by his sweet moves on stage in a boy band tribute). Kudos also to June Diane Raphael as one of Imogene’s self-absorbed big city ex-pals and to the always entertaining Bob Balaban as a mysterious man from the past.

Unfortunately despite the best efforts of this talented cast, the story never really springs to life. True, there are several great gags in Michelle Morgan’s screenplay, but the story seems to wander from one set piece to the next. Some scenes just seem to drift away while others kind of fizzle or land flatly. Directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini made one of the greatest comic book-based films ever with AMERICAN SPLENDOR, but can’t find the right tone between slapstick comedy and heart-rendering tragedy. They must revert to a booze-fueled montage in order to jump-start the film’s romance (THE HEAT was able to make this cliché work). There are a couple of surprises in the conclusion of the paternal quest. And a big suspenseful stand-off in the last act attempts to jolt the audience back to life, although this doesn’t distract us from an all too tidy, wrapped-up-with-a-bow final moments. This is a lightly amusing family reconciliation story that just can’t seem to find its rhythm. If we’re lucky Wiig and Benning will team up again for something much better in the very near future.

2.5 Out of 5