There's no denying that "In the Land of Women" has its moments of endearment, but Jon Kasdan's weepy coming-of-age dramedy lacks emotional authenticity.
In the Land of Women (2007)
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:112
Fresh:48
Rotten:64
Average Rating:5.3/10
Consensus: While pleasantly acted, In the Land of Women is a dramatically stilted film with underdeveloped characters.
Rated: PG-13 [See Full Rating] for sexual content, thematic elements and language
Runtime: 1 hr 40 mins
Genre: Los Angeles, California, Romantic Comedy, Romance, Theatrical Release
Theatrical Release:Apr 20, 2007 Wide
Box Office: $11,001,271
Synopsis: IN THE LAND OF WOMEN is a surprisingly somber yet funny coming-of-age tale from director Jonathan Kasdan, and stars Adam Brody in a role not too different from his beloved Seth Cohen on the... IN THE LAND OF WOMEN is a surprisingly somber yet funny coming-of-age tale from director Jonathan Kasdan, and stars Adam Brody in a role not too different from his beloved Seth Cohen on the night-time teen soap THE O.C. Brody, playing a character his own age, breezily inhabits Carter, a loveable but somewhat directionless screenwriter (if you count soft-core porn films) who is dumped by his beautiful but shallow starlet girlfriend Sofia at the start of the film. In crisis mode, he packs up and heads to the Detroit suburb where his senile grandmother (Olympia Dukakis) lives, in an attempt to help her out and get some perspective. While desperately trying to make sense of his grandmother's incoherent ramblings, Carter slaves away at a long-coming screenplay and creates confusing friendships with the mother (Meg Ryan) and daughter (Kristen Stewart) next door. While the film sometimes seems to be grasping for something it can't quite find, it is entertaining throughout, especially for fans of Brody. Thanks to some clever dialogue, quirky characters, and Brody's oddball line delivery, IN THE LAND OF WOMEN manages to get more than a few laughs. That said, the film also deals with serious issues like sickness and death in a lighthearted way. Ryan and Stewart both add depth to what could be one-dimensional characters, and while Brody's performance doesn't feel like much of a stretch, it's nice to see the actor moving towards some slightly more adult material. Kasdan packs the film to the brim with indie pop songs, providing a hip soundtrack for a story that feels contemporary by refusing to fit the traditional romantic-comedy mold. [More]
Starring: Adam Brody, Meg Ryan, Kristen Stewart, Makenzie Vega
Starring: Adam Brody, Meg Ryan, Kristen Stewart, Makenzie Vega, Clark Gregg, Elena Anaya, Olympia Dukakis, Dustin Milligan
Director: Jon Kasdan
Director: Jon Kasdan
Screenwriter: Jon Kasdan
Producer: Steve Golin, David Kanter, Barbara Kelly
Composer: Stephen Trask
Studio: Warner Bros.
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Reviews for In the Land of Women
First-time writer/director Jon Kasdan’s witty dialogue mixed with Brody’s pitch-perfect portrayal of the lovable loser make this film different and worth seeing.
A decent film that doesn't occupy a single neat genre category, and often doesn't seem able to decide who it's trying to speak to.
In the Land of Women exhibits enough kindness and empathy throughout that it passes the test of a slice-of-life movie: You miss these people once the film ends.
The film belongs to Brody, irritating and endearing and relatable in ways that actors rarely are.
Kasdan has talent and intelligence, but he hasn't quite figured out how to tackle this story.
There may be no logical answers, but even so, this trip to Kasdan's land of women ends up being more of a good idea than a bad one.
...a charming, quirky film that doesn't break new ground but has some lovely performances.
Kasdan has made a winning if overly pat first feature notable for its keen ear, its preference for character over plot and its refreshing modesty.
...while the movie is littered with precisely the sort of problems one generally associates with a first effort, the filmmaker does a nice job of infusing the proceedings with just enough authenticity and heart to maintain the viewer's continued interest.
What matters here aren't the narrative events, so much as the movie's emotional textures.
Kasdan fils makes a feature debut as writer-helmer of a coming of age saga that recalls The Graduate, positing a confused youngster between an ailing mom and rebellious daughter, sans the nasty tone of that satire; Adam Brody and Meg Ryan are terrific.
Appealing performances from Brody, Meg Ryan and Kristen Stewart are enormously helpful in giving the film what ultimately gets it across the finish line: an endearing, shaggy-dog likability.
Apart from leaning a bit much on his soundtrack and letting Olympia Dukakis indulge her crazy-granny jones, Kasdan does his work with a largely steady hand.
Kasdan could use a few more screenwriting lessons from his Oscar-nominated father, but he's off to a decent start.
Somehow, Kasdan's script is able to gloss over potential sand traps, and heads into the safer territory of emotional redemption for all involved.
It's the kind of production that's pleasant to watch because it allows viewers to spend some time with believable characters who face 'regular' problems, but do so without becoming boring or overly familiar.
Jonathan Kasdan seems to have inherited his father Lawrence's knack for creating sympathetic characters and giving them clever, articulate dialogue...
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