Writer: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Director: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Donna Murphy, Alicia Keys, Laura Linney, Nicholas Art, Chris Evans
Rating: PG-13
Studio: Weinstein Company
Release Date: December 4, 2007
It’s a message that we have seen before. Some might even compare it to last year’s smash hit The Devil Wears Prada though there are notable differences. Nanny movies have been made before. They are comical, teach a small lesson, and are meant to entertain with no other expectations for the betterment of the world. They are what cinematic fluff is meant to be about.
Now please do not take that the wrong way. I love movies that I can sit and watch and laugh at. These are the kind of movies that provide no avid thought or contemplation during or after the movie. They are something that you can watch, say it was good, and leave it at that. For me, this is what The Nanny Diaries was all about. It was entertaining without thought and comforting in its own way.
Release Information:
The Nanny Diaries was produced by The Weinstein Company. It was released in theaters back in August and hit the DVD shelves on December 4, 2007. This DVD comes with one disc and includes the movie and some special bonus features. The suggested retail price for The Nanny Diaries was just under $30 though you can pick up a copy at Amazon for $22.99.
The The Nanny Diaries Plot
Annie Braddock (Scarlett Johansson) just graduated from college. Her mother had big dreams for her, despite receiving a degree in Anthropology. For Annie, she couldn’t help but picture the world of high finance. The problem was that Annie didn’t quite know where she fit in, though she was certain it was somewhere between high finance and bag lady.
In her quest to find herself, Annie is drawn into the world of uptown Nannies, by accident. After lying to her mother and ignoring the advice of her best friend Lynette (Alicia Keys), Annie accepts a job working with a disastrous family that needs more help than a dozen therapists could offer.
The family includes the child, Grayer (Nicholas Art) who hates her by default because she’s not the old nanny. Throughout the film, Grayer grows to love her, not knowing how long she will be allowed to stay. Then there’s the mother, Mrs. X (Laura Linney), and the father, Mr. X (Paul Giamatti). Nannying alone is a full-time job, but when you add in Harvard Hottie (Chris Evans) as the love interest, it is amazing that she does not go insane before the end of every single day.
Mrs. X rules the roost when it comes to the nanny. She sleeps late, stays out late, runs late, and doesn’t want to be disturbed. She shops, eats out, leaves letters and instructions, and visits her parent’s group like a person who actually parented might do. The only thing she doesn’t do is pay attention to her child. That is why she has hired a nanny. Mr. X is even more despondent than Mrs. X. It is obvious that without the nanny the child would be raising himself.
It isn’t long before Annie is caught in a web of dysfunction, rules, and child rearing that she never thought she would be dealing with, especially with someone else’s child. The results are nothing short of comical and smile inducing for both the younger and older audiences.
The performance of Johansson was excellent. She had the nanny role down pat and she played well with Nicholas Art. Laura Linney was the savage shrew of an uptown mom. She is the one that you will love to hate in this film. The cast all put out excellent performances, with a standout performance by Alicia Keys who proves she is talented in more ways than one.
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Audio/Visual:
The audio and video quality for The Nanny Diaries is perfect. I did not notice any volume problems, blur, or grain while watching this movie. The sound was clear and did not fluctuate too much between dialogue and music sequences. Meanwhile, the video came with an aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and was crisp the entire way through.
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Bonus Features:
There were a number of special features on The Nanny Diaries DVD. The most basic of the features include the theatrical trailer, some additional trailers, and a blooper reel. Other features include a “Making-Of” Featurette and “Confession from the Original Nannies: The Authors of the Bestselling Book”.
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Bottom Line:
The Nanny Diaries is a fun night of family entertainment. You might think that the movie starts a little slow with only a few laughable moments, but it quickens its pace before you know it and by the end you will be in love. The entire package works well together and the subtle tempo allows you to grow into your positive feelings for this movie and the stars that portray the lead roles. At the end of the day, this movie is a keeper. The whole family will love it and its generally family friendly with the exception of a few minor language issues and some general kissing scenes, which shouldn’t shock even the youngest child.
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Technorati Tags: The Nanny Diaries, Nicholas Art, Laura Linney, Paul Giamatti, Scarlett Johansson, Alicia Keys, Comedy, Family Movie, DVD Review
Written by Ashtyn Evans - Visit Website
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Ashtyn is in her early 30s. She is a mother, writer, college student, and music lover. Ashtyn has had a successful career as a writer since 2003. She turned to blogging in 2005. Ashtyn attends Wright State where she is getting a degree in Psychology. She has extensive knowledge in SEO and Social Media Development.
