'ADMISSION': Three Stars (Out of Five)
Director Paul Weitz's new film is yet another comedy-drama, this one is starring Tina Fey and Paul Rudd. It's about a Princeton admissions officer who think she's met her teenage son, she gave up for adoption as a baby, and risks her beloved career to secure his future happiness. It was written by Karen Croner and based on the book of the same name by Jean Hanff Korelitz. It's not nearly as good as Weitz's other films ('ABOUT A BOY', 'IN GOOD COMPANY', 'AMERICAN PIE' or even 'LITTLE FOCKERS') and doesn't live up to Fey and Rudd's potential but it is very touching at times and has a few decent laughs.
Fey plays Portia Nathan, a Princeton admissions officer who's obsessed with her career and never made time for anything else. She had a long but distant relationship with Mark (Michael Sheen), who recently left her for another woman (Sonya Walger, of 'LOST' fame). Her boss (Wallace Shawn) recently announced he's retiring soon and is looking for a replacement but another admissions officer (Gloria Reuben, of 'ER' fame) will do just about anything to get that promotion as well. Just as Portia's thrown everything she has left into her work an old classmate, John Pressman (Rudd), calls and asks her to come by the new alternative high school he's running and speak to some promising young students there. Once there she meets Jeremiah (Nat Wolff), a gifted but challenged student who John thinks is the son Portia gave up for adoption as a baby. Portia suddenly finds herself very concerned with what happens to the boy and is willing to put her job at risk (for the first time) in order to make sure things turn out for him (like getting him in to Princeton). She also has a troubled and distant relationship with her own mother (Lily Tomlin), she's still dealing with.
The movie's not nearly as funny as you'd expect, given it's stars and director, but it does have a few good laughs here and there. Where it does really work is in the drama department. Like Weitz's other films it's really heartfelt and moving and you really learn to care for it's characters. That's not until the third act though and given how light on laughs it is it's kind of boring building up to then. Fey and Rudd, and the rest of the supporting cast, do as much as they can with their underwritten characters but it's not quite enough to turn this into a winner. If you're expecting something like 'ABOUT A BOY' or 'IN GOOD COMPANY' you're sure to be disappointed.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJM6S54llsE
Director Paul Weitz's new film is yet another comedy-drama, this one is starring Tina Fey and Paul Rudd. It's about a Princeton admissions officer who think she's met her teenage son, she gave up for adoption as a baby, and risks her beloved career to secure his future happiness. It was written by Karen Croner and based on the book of the same name by Jean Hanff Korelitz. It's not nearly as good as Weitz's other films ('ABOUT A BOY', 'IN GOOD COMPANY', 'AMERICAN PIE' or even 'LITTLE FOCKERS') and doesn't live up to Fey and Rudd's potential but it is very touching at times and has a few decent laughs.
Fey plays Portia Nathan, a Princeton admissions officer who's obsessed with her career and never made time for anything else. She had a long but distant relationship with Mark (Michael Sheen), who recently left her for another woman (Sonya Walger, of 'LOST' fame). Her boss (Wallace Shawn) recently announced he's retiring soon and is looking for a replacement but another admissions officer (Gloria Reuben, of 'ER' fame) will do just about anything to get that promotion as well. Just as Portia's thrown everything she has left into her work an old classmate, John Pressman (Rudd), calls and asks her to come by the new alternative high school he's running and speak to some promising young students there. Once there she meets Jeremiah (Nat Wolff), a gifted but challenged student who John thinks is the son Portia gave up for adoption as a baby. Portia suddenly finds herself very concerned with what happens to the boy and is willing to put her job at risk (for the first time) in order to make sure things turn out for him (like getting him in to Princeton). She also has a troubled and distant relationship with her own mother (Lily Tomlin), she's still dealing with.
The movie's not nearly as funny as you'd expect, given it's stars and director, but it does have a few good laughs here and there. Where it does really work is in the drama department. Like Weitz's other films it's really heartfelt and moving and you really learn to care for it's characters. That's not until the third act though and given how light on laughs it is it's kind of boring building up to then. Fey and Rudd, and the rest of the supporting cast, do as much as they can with their underwritten characters but it's not quite enough to turn this into a winner. If you're expecting something like 'ABOUT A BOY' or 'IN GOOD COMPANY' you're sure to be disappointed.
Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJM6S54llsE