Trite and Boring

Rating: 4/10 (19 July 2006)

I'm really amazed at all the acclaim being given this film.
I adore Meryl Streep, but hated her here. The problem was that her character was completely cardboard in nature. There was no nuance, no development -- sure she was a fabulous bitch, but after ten minutes, it became really boring.
As to the rest of the cast, they were good, especially Emily Blunt, but the story was so predictable as to be ridiculous. I've always enjoyed Anne Hathaway, especially in Brokeback Mountain, and she tried valiantly, but someone it was unbelievable that someone like Streep's character would have taken such a chance on someone so tacky and experienced. Stanley Tucci was, as always, FABULOUS: although he played the character very gay, he was never offensively swishy.
At best, it seemed like a Lifetime Women's network movie of the week which should have featured Meredith Baxter or Judith Light.