Ruined by a schlock overload

Rating: 3/10 (6 November 2018)

I saw this on (UK) TV without knowing much about it, so expected it to be some kind of hopefully enjoyable light comedy. I soon realised I had it completely wrong. Even when I'd adjusted to its eventual tone, it was if there were several dirctors in control of different scenes, with each vying for dominance. At its best it was reasonably engaging but at its worst it was dreadful beyond belief.
Most UK viewers will be aware of a TV series called Episodes, where two UK script writers are initially greeted enthusiastically by the film studio, but the crass movie moguls who only have an eye for a fast buck, gradually start interfering until what started out as a decent script is comprehensively trashed. That is exactly what seems to have happened here, although in that case I'm surprised that the director agreed to keep his name on it.
I can let go the highly unsubtle allusions to 'the American dream', but how can anybody forgive the recently deceased Mimi taking over the narration and appearing at her own funeral? To say this was embarrasingly crass and cheesy would be a massive understatement; this was surely one of the great movie mistakes of all time and in those few minutes, the film lost any remaining credibility that it had remaining.
If this really was due to intervention by the studio, all those concerned should hang their heads in shame. If the director actually went along with it willingly, he has a fine future ahead of him directing ads for funeral insurance and donkey sanctuaries.
I haven't marked this review as containing spoilers, because the makers got there first.