Drowning Mona

source: Drowning Mona

(from a review by Jon Bastian) Drowning Mona is a lot like watching an episode of Wheel of Fortune, if you're a fan. You may root and cheer and laugh while the game is on, but half an hour later, you won't remember the solution to the big money puzzle. It's a shame, because the film is full of great actors playing incredibly well defined and minutely observed characters. By the final credits, though, the plot twists and character bits fall a few turns short of being satisfying. First, a few words on what Drowning Mona is not, ad campaigns to the contrary. It is not a Bette Midler star vehicle. In fact, despite Ms. M. playing the titular drownee, she isn't in the film nearly enough. In the far too few scenes in which we see her play a shrill, nasty, zaftig, white trash harridan, she steals the show -- and it's no stretch at all to imagine why anyone (or everyone) would want to kill her -- which brings me to the second point. Much is made in the film's advertising that the entire population of the small town of Verplanck, New York, wants to Mona dead. In reality, there are far too few suspects, and that is the main point on which the movie falls down. The solution to the mystery is rather obvious, despite a big fat red herring planted about midway, and so the resolution feels unfulfilling. It's kind of like going to Verplanck's only diner expecting the "heart attack special" and only getting the vegetarian plate.

Unlike most reviewers, I do not think that DROWNING MONA deserves unstinted praise or sheer opprobrium. But Director Nick Gomez had difficulties in obtaining equilibrium and unity for his movie. Attempting to tell a rather sordid story with levity, he succeeds as an aside ( or was it his true goal ?) in shedding a revealing light on a small rural American community( hence probably some harsh reviews). But for the opening scene, he chooses to show Mona only in flashbacks, which is added difficulty to the film unity; at the same time, each flashback permits to define aspects of Mona's personality and life, i.e. pure evil mixed with unhappiness ( indifferent cheating husband, love/hate relationship with her no-good son, unattractive looks , resentment at the unfairness shown in the knife-throwing contest).. Compared to this complex part, the other main characters remain sketchy or blurred, due to an underdeveloped script. There are also some attempts at pure slapstick: some fail miserably ( the cowardice shown by the two cops, the ever-tipsy clergyman ); others fare better ( the mortician, the lesbian garage owner ) but remain small additions to the plot, no parts of it. The casting shows similar discrepancies: de Vito has had better parts in the past ( but is partly responsible thereof, as a producer of the film) ; Casey Affleck is not a worse actor than his brother ( which is not saying much! ); and Neve Campbell tries hard, with mixed results. More positive aspects: Bette Midler is almost too convincing as the malevolent Mona ( but quite moving in the above knife-throwing contest scene ); Jamie Lee Curtis has composed with apparent delight the unglamorous part of the oversexed waitress; newcomer Marcus Thomas is rather good as the son, and William Fichtner really excellent as the husband. Will Ferell , as the mortician, has the best line of the film ( speaking of Mona's death: " I have seen people more upset over losing change in a candy machine" - in France they replaced "change " by " 10 cents ", which is perhaps even slightly better ). The ever-reliable Tracey Walter, as the angler/ murderer,is oddly serene and moving.While the scenery and music are quite satisfactory. In short, a not-too-bad movie where it could have been a very good one.

Really oddball attempt at black comedy doesn't quite hit the mark because it's not really all that funny. It is full of screwy touches, such as the Yugos with personalized plates, Three Dog Night music, and nonlinear storytelling. The performances are all over the map, too; Danny DeVito and Tracey Walter underplay, Bette Midler and Neve Campbell play it fairly straight. Paul Ben-Victor, Paul Schulze and Peter Dobson are funny as the mostly incompetent and inattentive deputies. Jamie Lee Curtis is all over the place, while Bill Fichtner never quite registers at all. Casey Affleck, as marginally the main character, gives perhaps the most bizarre (and frankly, irritating) performance. A few scenes hit the mark, and there is a bit of interest in the actual mystery question of Who Killed Mona?, but more laughs were needed to offset the merely whimsical touches of the screenplay.

This movie really makes me laugh. The dialog is hilarious, the acting is very realistic and Danny Divitto, Neve Campbell, Jamie Lee Curtis and Bette Middler add their own talents to this otherwise wonderfully dark comedic masterpiece. There are no special effects, there are no expensive props. There is nothing to lend to this movie but the acting talents of these marvelous actors and William Fichtner (Detective Alex Tardio of "What's the Worst That Can Happen?") is excellent as Phil Dearly, husband of the deceased Mona Dearly, the woman everyone loved to hate. Mona drives herself off a cliff, but during the preliminary investigation, one which the police chief (Divitto) thinks in the beginning will be cursory, he discovers that there isn't just a list of small-town suspects. There is a town FULL of suspects. The question turns quickly from "Who did it?" to "Who didn't do it?" There are even a few twists as the story moves along. Marcus Thomas portrays Mona Dearly's son, Jeff, in a way that only he could. His portrayal is good enough to make you want to see him hanged upside down into a pool of piranha. That's good acting. Somebody give that man a ROLE! He's good! It's a great movie with a great cast and wonderful portrayals of small-town life. Dead on. The characters have depth, and the story has a line. It's directed well and presented beautifully. Very entertaining and enjoyable movie. If you liked the Addams Family's feel of dark comedy, "A Fish Called Wanda," or "Fierce Creatures," you'll love this one. It gets a 7.8/10 from... the Fiend :.

I was looking forward to seeing DROWNING MONA as it contains a fairly well known cast but the main reason I wanted to see it is because director Nick Gomez was well known to me via his work on the HBO prison drama OZ which happens to be my all time favourite American show with one of his episodes " Visits - Conjugal or otherwise " being a stand out episode " I put into into my DVD player and long before the end credits came up I had made up my mind that DROWNING MONA was a very bad comedy ,no that's not a typo I didn't mean to write " a very black comedy " I meant to write a very bad comedy . Yes the screenplay is very black dealing with murder but in Gomez hands the movie seems to have been turned into a farce . And it is the director I blame since many the cast do have impressive track records in playing comedy but who all seem to go completely over the top with the exception of Danny Devito I very much doubt if the screenwriter envisaged his script as being a farce and that's what the film is . Everything would have worked so much better if the actors had played their roles in a seriously deadpan manner and what's with the ridiculous and eclectic soundtrack featuring artists as diverse as Hot Butter and Pigbag ? Antonia Bird is another film maker who ruins movies by inserting inappropriate music into her movies and it's usually the sign of a bad director Having said that I wouldn't accuse Gomez of being being a bad director since I have praised his work on OZ , but it's obvious that he's ill suited to comedy and it would be terrible if this misfire has ruined his career in directing feature films for cinema release . Maybe a studio could employ him to direct a violent intelligent thriller ? I'm sure he wouldn't disappoint

Mona Dearly of upstate New York was a housewife and mother of a son played by none other than Bette Midler. She was married to Phil (played by the wonderful William Fichtner) Mona was abusive, mean, and probably the most disliked person in the small town. Her husband claimed to have been battered man. Watching Mona in action, you can understand his claims. Her husband Phil is having an affair with a diner waitress Rona, played by the wonderful Jamie Lee Curtis, who is also having an affair with Phil and Mona's son at the same time It's like a Jerry Springer episode at times. Neve Campbell plays Ellen who is engaged to Calzone, Casey Affleck's character, and is pregnant. Her father is played by the wonderfully talented Danny DeVito as the town Sheriff. There are other characters like lesbian Lucina who comforts Ellen with a kiss. The writing is fair to say the least. The cast look like they are having the time of their lives on screen and it comes across off screen as well.

I kept waiting for this movie to get funny; it didn't. I liked the quirkiness of FARGO and RAISING ARIZONA, but I hate to say this movie just stagnates. A lot of worthwhile stars spent time doing this film and some should have rethought their decision. It seems that the whole town has two things in common. Just about the entire population drives a Yugo and everyone that knows Mona Dearly wishes her dead. When Mona drives her son's car into the river and drowns; there is no problem finding suspects capable of foul play. Bette Midler plays the part of Mona too well. Of course, I have never been a Midler fan and this doesn't change my mind. She is so easy to dislike. Jamie Lee Curtis looked good in the wig. Danny DeVito and Neve Campbell deserve better.

... even the police. Bette Midler, even though she is the title character, gets second billing to Danny DeVito. In the recently released "Isn't She Great" she gets to play both sides of the ugly/beautiful coin and she does it here again brilliantly. Sherriff Wyatt Rash (DeVito) has too many suspects in the death of Mona. Everyone would like to see her dead. Neve Campbell as his daughter (Ellen) turns in a fine performance. Her breakdown and ultimate (short-lived) lesbian experience with the town's mechanic is either over-the-top -- or just short of being brilliant; hard to tell. Casey Affleck (Ben's little brother) is very one-note -- I want to believe that it was written that way and that Bobby is not as shallow as the script would have us believe. This is not a film that will appeal to everyone -- but hang in -- it only gets better as it goes along. I enjoyed it -- and as I reflect on it -- it only gets better.

This film had potential. There are many name actors who all appear to be having a good time. The premise of the whole town hating Mona Dearly could have worked if Bette Midler had played the part less "over the top" and more sinister. Casey Affleck is seriously miscast and has no chemistry with Neve Campbell who is the best thing in the movie. Danny DeVito (sorry Danny)is just unbelievable as the Sheriff. The whole film has the aura of a project gone bad.