"LOVELY & AMAZING"
(2002) (Catherine Keener, Emily Mortimer) (R)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Mild	Minor	Extreme	None	*None
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	None	None	None	Extreme
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Extreme	Minor	Moderate	Moderate	Minor

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QUICK TAKE:

Drama: Various women of different generations in one family deal with their relationships with one another as well as their various neuroses and insecurities.

PLOT:

Jane (BRENDA BLETHYN) is the matriarch of the Marks family, a group of cross-generational women who aren't without their share of various neuroses and insecurities. For starters, Jane is prepared to undergo liposuction so that she'll look and feel better about herself, and thinks her surgeon is sweet on her.

36-year-old daughter Michelle (CATHERINE KEENER) is a bitter wife and mother whose life has gone downhill since being named homecoming queen so many years ago. Little does she know that her husband Bill (CLARK GREGG), who belittles her for trying to make a living selling her artsy craft work, is having an affair with her best friend, Donna (DREYA WEBER). She eventually takes a job working at a 1-hour photo lab for Jordan (JAKE GYLLENHAAL), her teenage boss with whom she starts to have a fling.

The other daughter, Elizabeth (EMILY MORTIMER), is a model and actress whose insecure nature is driving her boyfriend, Paul (JAMES LeGROS) crazy. When she thinks that her looks caused her not to get a job working with actor Kevin McCabe (DERMOT MULRONEY), that only adds to her neurosis, although the two eventually starting seeing each other.

Then there's Annie (RAVEN GOODWIN), the young girl Jane adopted who hates being black and enjoys feigning having drowned in swimming pools. When complications set in regarding Jane's surgery, the three unlikely sisters are forced together. From that point on, they and their mother try to deal with their various personal issues.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

Some female teens might be drawn to it, as might anyone who's a fan of someone in the cast, but it's unlikely that many kids will want to see it.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R

For language and nudity.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

BRENDA BLETHYN plays the vain matriarch of the Marks family who undergoes liposuction surgery in an effort to look and feel better. She uses some strong profanity.

CATHERINE KEENER plays a married woman and mother who hates her life, has a fling with a teenager and uses strong profanity.

EMILY MORTIMER plays her sister, a model and aspiring actress with low self esteem. In her spare time, she saves stray dogs and ends up in a relationship with Kevin.

RAVEN GOODWIN plays the young black girl that Jane has adopted. She briefly uses strong profanity, likes to float face down in swimming pools as if dead, and wants to be white like everyone else in her family.

DERMOT MULRONEY plays an actor who immediately comes on to Elizabeth and has sex with her.

CLARK GREGG plays Michelle's cold and unkind husband who uses strong profanity and is having an affair.

JAKE GYLLENHAAL plays Elizabeth's teenage boss who becomes enamored and has a fling with her, and uses some strong profanity.

DREYA WEBER plays Michelle's best friend who's having an affair with her husband.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

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Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

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OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a quick summary of the content found in this R-rated drama/comedy. Profanity consists of at least 18 uses of the "f" word, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. Sexually related dialogue - some of it explicit -- is present, some making out and groping occurs, the older mother of the family admits to having a threesome in the past, and some sexual encounters are implied.

A woman stands nude before her lover as he tells her what he likes and dislikes about her body and we see various views of her full frontal and rear nudity. In another scene, her bare breasts are seen through her see-through top. A few characters drink or smoke, and various ones have varying degrees of bad attitudes (including having affairs).

Some tense family material is present, as is imitative behavior as well as some thematic elements regarding women of varying ages not liking their appearances or themselves in general. Finally, a dog bites a woman off camera, resulting in some facial stitches. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

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ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

We see some wine on Michelle and Bill's table.

Annie states that her birth mother was a "crack head."

Kevin asks Elizabeth if she wants to have a drink. We later see them having wine with dinner.

Jordan and Michelle have drinks in a bar.

Jordan states that when you have as many zits as he does, you have the right to get hammered (drunk) every once in a while.

Various people have drinks at a reception including Michelle and Elizabeth.

BLOOD/GORE

We see some stitches on a dog's belly.

Jane says (in the hospital), "I'd give anything to take a sh*t."

Elizabeth has a bloody-looking upper lip with stitches after a dog bites her there.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

Michelle utters "bitch" under her breath about a salesperson who's not interested in her crafts.

Jane says that if Kevin McCabe doesn't like Elizabeth, then he's a "fag."

Michelle tells Annie (who's black) that her skin can't burn (in the sun) because it's already brown (when Annie asks why she doesn't need suntan lotion like the white kids).

Bill and Michelle's best friend have an affair (and the woman lies to Michelle about Bill's whereabouts when he's actually with her, and Bill later lies to her about where he was). After also complaining about her not having a job, Bill acts disrespectfully toward her when she does get one.

Annie (who's black) tells something of a racist joke regarding a mother who was Jewish and Black and not knowing whether to buy or steal a bike.

Two young men are disrespectful to Jordan in his store and even leave without paying for their photos.

Michelle has a fling with Jordan, her 17-year-old boss.

FRIGHTENING SCENES

None.

GUNS/WEAPONS

None, although we see some drawings of assault weapons on a "most wanted" type board in a police station.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "Did you tell him to f*ck off?" "F*ck you" (said by a young girl and an adult to each other), "Why don't you just f*cking stick a knife in my back?" "F*ck your art," "F*cked up," "I'd give anything to take a sh*t," "This is bullsh*t," "I don't give a sh*t," "Why do you have to be such a pr*ck?" "C*ck boy," "D*ckwad," "Sploodge/Sploodging" (ejaculating), "Boner" (erection), "Bitch(es), "Idiot," "Loser," "Jerk," "Hell no," "Fag," "Sucks," "Turd," "Freak," "That little bitch," "Who the hell knows?" "Jeez," "What the hell is that?" "Scared the hell out of me" and "Go to hell."

Annie likes to float in pools face down as if she's dead (which gets quite a reaction out of others who come to her rescue).

A guy makes the male masturbation gesture/symbol.

JUMP SCENES

None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

None.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

None.

PROFANITY

At least 18 "f" words (2 used sexually), 9 "s" words, 3 slang terms using male genitals ("c*ck," "d*ck" and "pr*ck"), 1 slang term for female genitals ("trim"), 2 slang terms for breasts ("boobs"), 7 asses (6 used with "hole"), 6 hells, 5 uses each of "God" and "Oh my God" and 1 use each of "For Christ's sakes," "Jesus" and "Oh God" as exclamations.

SEX/NUDITY

We see Elizabeth's bare breasts through her see-through top as she poses for a photo shoot (she's not comfortable appearing that way).

Jane shows some cleavage.

From behind, we see Jane with her top down at a doctor's office (we see her bra-strap).

Michelle asks her mom if she ever cheated on her husband. She says she didn't, but then adds that they once did a threesome (adding that it was more of a joke than anything else). When Michelle looks at her disapprovingly, Jane tells her not to, adding that everyone was doing it. She then jokingly adds that maybe Michelle should try it to loosen up a little. They then change subjects and talk about Jane's pending plastic surgery and how she's happy to be getting rid of her "gut." Michelle replies that she doesn't understand since no one sees her (Jane) naked anyway.

Some sexually related comments are made, such as "We haven't had sex in so long." A question is then posed how often they have sex and the person says they're embarrassed to say. Another woman's name is brought up, as is the question, "So you want to have sex as a good answer for Donna?" and then "Do you want to have sex with me because you miss it, or are you accusing me of something?

Michelle mentions something being a reason why someone doesn't want to sleep with her.

Elizabeth goes to an audition with Kevin and he immediately asks her, "What kind of sex do you have with your boyfriend?" She says that's private and he agrees, adding that he was trying to get a feel for what she finds sexy (this is before the audition). The filmmakers then say that they need "hot" from them as their characters are about to rip each other's clothes off. Kevin then tells her before they start that he's a character and not a movie actor and "You want to f*ck me more than you've ever wanted to f*ck anyone in your life." As the audition starts, the two passionately make out, with her grabbing his clothed butt as he then lies between her legs on the sofa.

Michelle wears a bikini top that shows cleavage, as does a friend of hers (who shows more).

Elizabeth's boyfriend says he thinks she's sexy and that he'll have sex with her.

There's some talk about some guy "sploodging" (ejaculating) all over pictures of another guy's girlfriend and one of the guys then makes the male masturbation symbol/gesture.

Kevin tells Elizabeth that he got "a boner" (erection) during their previous audition together. Later, he wants her to promise never to get a "boob job." The two then kiss while he has his hand on her clothed breast.

Michelle and Jordan make out in her parked car and are having somewhat of an awkward time as they roll around in the seat (he's shirtless and there's some heavy breathing).

We see Kevin and Elizabeth in bed under the sheets (with them pulled up over her chest) and it's implied that they had sex. He then tells her that she didn't have to ditch her boyfriend just to sleep with him. She then tells him that she's going to stand across the room and wants him to state everything that's wrong with her and to be honest about it. He's initially reluctant, but then agrees as she stands completely nude in front of him. We then see several minutes of her standing nude (from the side, front and back). Among the things he tells her is that her "bush" (pubic hair) is big and could use a trim. He then says, "You can trim the trim." He then says that he likes her breasts even if one is a little bigger than the other, and comments that he likes her nipples. During this, we see more shots of her full frontal and rear nudity.

Jordan wants Michelle to meet him later and spend the night with him. She wonders how (as they're in his bedroom in his mother's house) and he says they could get a hotel room.

Jordan and Michelle then later briefly kiss in a parked car before his mom interrupts them (he tells her that Michelle is his lover) and the police arrive and arrest Michelle for statutory rape.

Kevin tells Elizabeth that he likes her and wants to sleep with her again.

SMOKING

Elizabeth smokes once, as does a miscellaneous person.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

A friend of Michelle's says that her daughter spends time with her dad (meaning they're separated or divorced). Michelle then replies that when she grew up, she only saw her father twice a year despite him living close by.

Michelle and her husband are having marital difficulties, resulting in her often going to sleep in her daughter's bed rather than with her husband. We then learn that he's having an affair with her best friend, and they argue about Michelle not having a job. She eventually has a fling with her teenage boss.

Annie states that her birth mother was a "crack head."

Jordan states that his dad is dead (and died when Jordan was 10).

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

Why more women than men are concerned and/or obsess about how they look.

Jane (of grandmother age) adopting Annie.

Annie, who's black, states that she wants to have skin like Jane who's white and complains that afros look like clown hair.

Annie states that her birth mother was a "crack head."

VIOLENCE

As Elizabeth goes to console what she believes is a lost dog, it suddenly bites her on the face (we don't see the actual biting, but do see the results - a bloody cut and stitches on her upper lip).

Reviewed June 13, 2002 / Posted July 19, 2002

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