In The Land of Women reviews

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Jon Kasdan's In The Land of Women (Warner Bros., 4.20) has only managed a lousy 48% Rotten Tomatoes rating, but it's picked some classy "cream of the crop" allies, including L.A. Times critic Kenneth Turan, the Philadelpha Inquirer's Carrie Rickey, the Toronto Star's Susan Walker, the San Francisco Chroncile's Mick LaSalle and Newsweek's David Ansen.

That said, many of the positive comments come from an attitude that say, in a nutshell, "Jon Kasdan is young and therefore his first-time-director mistakes are forgivable, on top of which it's a little easier to cut him slack knowing that his dad, Lawrence Kasdan, has made several good films and that Jon will improve and...well, here's to the family Kasdan!"

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on April 21, 2007 at 1:59 PM

comment #1

Noah says ...

The reviews, even the positive ones, make it sound like a Lifetime flick. I'll check it out on DVD, I'm sure, but I'm not exactly in a rush to see it. We need more films from Lawrence, he's my favorite Kasdan.

Posted by Noah at April 21, 2007 2:26 PM

comment #2

Geoff says ...

I fucking hate that guy Adam Brody. He's annoying. Anyone with me on that? Plus, that's a really horrible title.

Posted by Geoff at April 21, 2007 2:42 PM

comment #3

AH says ...

Having only seen him in "Thank You for Smoking" and "Mr and Mrs Smith," he doesn't annoy me. I'm not going to see it in the cinema but I have to admit that I like the title.

Posted by AH at April 21, 2007 2:53 PM

comment #4

Mike Ock says ...

God Jeff, you're so predictable. You never miss an opportunity to suck up to an A List film maker, even if it means sucking up to their kids.

Posted by Mike Ock at April 21, 2007 3:08 PM

comment #5

Geoff says ...

Yeah, I did kinda like him in "Thank You for Smoking" but they gave him good lines that suited his annoying personality. I've just been around people who used to watch The OC, meaning that I've unfortunately had to endure a couple of episodes.

Posted by Geoff at April 21, 2007 3:11 PM

comment #6

Dan Revill says ...

Mistakes are not forgivable! Every film must be perfect! Um...not sure where I was going with that.

His brother, Jake, seems to know his way around a movie...although I haven't seen The TV Set. So is he 3 for 3?

Posted by Dan Revill at April 21, 2007 3:26 PM

comment #7

Moviezzz says ...

I thought IN THE LAND was surprisingly good. Maybe not up to his dad's debut BODY HEAT, but better than his brother's ZERO EFFECT.

Reading some of the negative reviews of the film, I wonder if they aren't the ones being prejudiced, because of his famous father.

Posted by Moviezzz at April 21, 2007 3:41 PM

comment #8

jeffmcm says ...

It's nice to see that after six posts, one would come from someone who's actually seen the movie and could talk about it.

Posted by jeffmcm at April 21, 2007 5:15 PM

comment #9

frankbooth says ...

There's no evidence that talent is hereditary. See: Lynch, Jennifer.

Must be sad times in the ol' cabin in Telluride, licking those wounds in the hot tub. Critics can be such meanie-bo-beenies!

Posted by frankbooth at April 21, 2007 10:14 PM

comment #10

PanTheFaun says ...

Moviezzz: I actually enjoyed "In the Land of Women," but it's nothing compared to Jake's "Zero Effect," one of the most underrated flicks of the last 10 years.

Posted by PanTheFaun at April 22, 2007 12:08 AM

comment #11

George Prager says ...

It's weird. Some film fans and critics will forgive things in movies (plot, story, acting, dialogue...you name it) that would be inexcusable and unforgiveable in the worst episode of a bad TV series.

Posted by George Prager at April 22, 2007 11:23 AM

comment #12

Rothchild says ...

I've really enjoyed Jake Kasdan's work. Zero Effect is a gem. Orange County is a well crafted piece of funny fluff. The TV Set is very small, and really only accessible to a few dozen people, but it's funny and astute. In The Land of the Women is what happens when your younger brother with no talent and no life experience decides to get pretentious, and make one of the most embarassing romantic "comedies" to ever come out of a major studio. Not only does it border on incompetence, it's a shallow piece of shit.

And I saw Garden State twice in theaters. This is that type of film gone wrong. It really feels like a movie written and directed by a guy that thought his trivial break up was really depressing and was interesting. It's an emo diary filtered through Final Draft, and an uncomfortable love triangle between Meg "Skull Cap" Ryan and Kristen Stewart (technically, the younger daughter proposes to him, so this should become a "love rectangle"). And I guarantee no one in the history of the world has uttered the phrase, "you came into my hood, slingin' some game, and you didn't expect to be scrapping directly?" Yeah, Jonathan. You're surrogate character admits he went to a private school and has no idea what regular people do or how they talk. Don't then assume you can write these people.

Posted by Rothchild at April 22, 2007 1:57 PM

comment #13

Rothchild says ...

I meant "your."

Posted by Rothchild at April 22, 2007 1:58 PM

comment #14

Dixon Steele says ...

Just came back from seeing WOMEN and not expecting much, found myself liking it.

Sure, it's not flawless (what is?), it's a first film, etc. And as the title infers, it's really a Chick Flick.

But it had heart and has the guts to address a subject matter commercial films never deal with, in this case...SPOILER...Breast Cancer, and it doesn't soft pedal it either.

I look forward to his next film. Spare the hate, Rothchild, and try to get your jealousy in check, if possible. Sheesh.

Then hopped into FRACTURE and had a very good time. Well crafted "thriller", nice work from Hopkins & Gosling. Not a Great Film, but an enjoyable ride. Recommended.

Posted by Dixon Steele at April 22, 2007 2:16 PM

comment #15

Craig Kennedy says ...

I snuck into Land O' Women after seeing Hot Fuzz this afternoon. It would be really easy to hate it (I still might decide I do) and Rothchild's review is pretty right on, but at least it's well intentioned and the right audience might appreciate it. The audience I saw it with, mostly younger women, responded pretty positively though I can't imagine even the biggest fans still thinking about it a week from now.

Hot Fuzz on the other hand was pretty great.

Posted by Craig Kennedy at April 22, 2007 7:54 PM

comment #16