If you get a sense of deja vu, and you saw "Something's Gotta Give" (2003) or "The Family Stone" (2005), you may not be alone. Diane Keaton plays Daphne, the overbearing, slightly overprotective mother-knows-best character (a role she's come to master). To her credit, she raised her three daughters Maggie (married, and a psychiatrist), Mae and Milly, the latter of whom she's trying to fix up to get married.
Of course, she doesn't just introduce her daughter to eligible men. Nope, too easy; she takes out a personals ad, interviews the guys, then arranges for the one she likes to just *happen* to meet her little Milly. Milly doesn't make the best relationship choices, mom argues, so she'll help her daughter out. (Never mind the reason she's a strong-willed single mom is her last relationship apparently predates the Reagan presidency).
Mandy Moore as Milly gives us a pretty good show, at least insofar as she's not playing the same role, yet again (sorry Diane). She's not the mean girl (Saved!) or the patsy (American Dreamz) this time around. Milly's two competing love interests, mom's favorite, architect Jason (TV's 'Saved' Tom Everett Scott) and Johnny (Gabriel Macht) keep things moving, though the sheer variances in character personality have you rooting for Johnny (or maybe that's just to spite mom Daphne).
The story doesn't break any new ground and follows the essential plot cookie-cutter right down to the letter, right down to the golden retriever dog of Daphne's. Maggie (Lauren Graham of TV's 'Gilmore Girls') has a generous supply of witty comments, nicely delivered. Mae (Piper Perabo) is there, but doesn't seem to do much more than round out trio to ensure there are three people on camera.
All in all, it's worth a chuckle or three, and it does have that "cute"ness to it. There aren't any of the laugh-out-loud bits from the likes of "Borat," but I also didn't find myself watching the seconds tick by as I did with "Code Name: The Cleaner," either. It's fine if you want to bring a date, and you won't feeling like you've wasted nearly two hours of your life to boot. And if you consider yourself a fan of Mandy, Gabriel or even Diane, good times can be had by all.
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