Peace, Love & Misunderstanding

"Catherine Keener is Jane Fonda's daughter who comes with children to visit and ends up changing her life in some way" Bruce Beresford has made some movies over the years that have been well liked (Best Picture winning Driving Miss Daisy), but with his film this year he makes a horrible film with no saving elements to this film about unlikeable underwhelming characters who cannot help but complain about everything it their life. Catherine Keenner plays Diane a new york lawyer who when her husband asks for a divorce decides to Visit her mother Grace (Jane Fonda) in Woodstock bring along her two children Zoe (Elizabeth Olsen) the intelligent vegetarian and Cole (Nat Wolff) the wannabee filmmaker, but when they get to Woodstock they quickly find out Grandma is not one normal person but a woman who sells drugs, paints naked people and ruins her daughter's life. The story introduces us to other characters like love interests for three people from New York, Jude (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) for Diane, Cole (Chace Crawford) for Zoe and Tara (Marissa O'Donnell). There are many other characters who are a part of this hippie tribe of people but these seven people seem to be the main characters of the film. This film fails first on setting up the relationships between the main characters for example after some fights from the couples after some annoying song of forgiveness plays they get straight back together which is a failure on the writers part first. The performances are so bad because the actor's are not given much to do as the script makes all the characters unlikeable and the same type of people. Sure Fonda and Keener look like a mother daughter combo but they do not do much but stand there and say the words that were written for them and that's really the positive because the negative is too much to talk about. Elizabeth Olsen has been a breakout lately but the character of Zoe is not a good girl as she thinks too high of herself saying to many and thinking she is the best. The son is even worse as he try's to be sweet and lovable but to me he came off as boring and a nothing role which is also the way I felt about every other character in the film, even though the script try's to use them more then I wish the didn't. This was not an enjoyable film and the talents of Keener, Fonda and Olsen are wasted as they are given nothing roles in a film not worth you time or effort. Badly written and directed this film was one of the worst I've seen this year so far. MOVIE GRADE: F (MVP: Jane Fonda)

source: Peace, Love & Misunderstanding

Long known for political activism, Jane Fonda finally gets to do it on screen in "Peace, Love, & Misunderstanding". The movie's point is that, while you might not see a lot of flower children, they still exist and they haven't abandoned their idealism. There's a good contrast between the mom's hippie lifestyle and the daughter's (Catherine Keener) straight-laced lifestyle. As can be expected, the movie also has some great music (hell, it's set in Woodstock, NY). Long story short, the '60s will never die. Maybe the movie is a little over-idealistic, but everything else makes up for that. It's just a fun movie, and definitely one that I recommend.

What is the point of this self-absorbed production? I guess it's mom's inability to face reality. The story drags and drags and drags...uh, what? Oh, yeah, Mom decides to visit her past by bringing her uppie-ish Manhattan trained teenagers to experience the Woodstock generation's deep convictions to peace and love. A premise this mother has spent her adult life rejecting. Predictable every moment. Jane Fonda as one reviewer here commented never experienced the Woodstock moment although she was a most prominent protester against the USA-Vietnam police action. Fonda is good and is worth watching. In fact all the performers are good. Too bad we don't get more of Kyle McLachlan.

So, hubby decides to divorce wifey. Wifey then goes to her mother's place for vacation with her son and daughter and on the same day, the exact same day; son meets girl, daughter meets boy and mother is "met" by man. Some days later in the movie, again, on the same day... Mother has sex with man, daughter has sex with boy and son makes out with girl. Later in the movie, mother and kids move into mommy's/grandmommy's house, where, all three love interests are available and oh so ready and willing to be of some assistance. Meanwhile, boy kills deer in front of daughter and completely disregards her feelings, then he later tells her that's her problem. She then, instead of forgiving him, which she still shouldn't do, because she is not wrong, rather, introspects and faults herself. While again meanwhile, man slept with the mother of the mother; aka grandmama, and didn't make this known (actually he didn't tell, she found out; thus, he continually lied) until he slept with the mother of the kids. He then accuses mother of always fighting with everyone. Mother then does exactly what her daughter did. Looks within, blames herself pretty much, and seemingly takes man back. Mother, son and daughter with all their love interests, whom they all acquainted, the same day, then live happily ever after. Mmmkay, sure.

This film redefines ho-hum. It seems to be the sort of script that a person who thinks they want to be a writer would come up with. The characters are achingly two dimensional and when they're not that, they are so stereotypical it borderlines awful. Even the cast (which is exceptional) seems to be bored with the characters they play. I don't mind when a film is formulaic in the genre but sometimes you have to find your footing to make yourself at least a little bit unique and this doesn't even try. The worst part perhaps is that the great climatic moment when everything is made clear and the family realizes their differences and their strengths makes no sense. The kid's film that brings them altogether is not even remotely good and will leave you scratching your head. The chemistry between all the major players is lack luster at best and even that is being generous. Is it a terrible movie? Well, its not the worst I've seen but that is probably only because of the solid cast doing what they can with an awful script. Jane Fonda made a resurgence in the early 2000's with films I actually loved like Monster-in-Law and Georgia Rules. First of all Fonda looks fantastic and she could probably really do a lot with a character like this. A hippie woman still living life to the fullest but has alienated her daughter because of her free spirited ways. Instead the character is boring and so typical. What a shame. I'm not a huge fan of Catherine Keener, I always find her a little dry but she's like a desert in this film. She has the emotional range of a tree trunk. I'm not sure she even shows any emotion and she delivers her lines in a monotone. The idea that her and Fonda are mother and daughter comes across as a joke and you won't believe it for a minute. Elizabeth Olsen who stunned audiences in Martha Marcy Mae Marlene and has done well in other films like Silent House, should watch her roles more closely. She is actually the one character I almost liked but realistically the script and the bad direction drags her down to. She also has the most chemistry with Chace Crawford but even that is just a little bit. Nat Wolff as the son who should be a major player but a complete disappointment. He seems like he's supposed to be college age but he behaves like an angsty coming of age twelve year old. Jeffrey Dean Morgan who I love is reduced to a supporting supporting love interest who hardly has any screen time except for one actually enjoyable and cute scene when him and Keener sing together. I can literally hardly believe this was directed by Australian director Bruce Beresford who has years and years of experience and has done some great films. I don't know how this one was such a miss. Then again on the surface it looks like all the pieces are in place and then the film barely sputters along until it finally ends. It is of no surprise to me that co-writers Joseph Muszynski and Christina Mengert have virtually no credits to their names. It never surprises me when I see a film like this. I often wonder how big names get forced into projects like this because then I think everyone gives about 20% and it shows in the final project. There isn't any reason to see this unless you're truly a die hard Fonda fan. It is truly the definition of sub-par ho-hum entertainment. 5/10

This is a charming movie and could have been much better. Jane Fonda, of course, made it fabulous, both from an acting standpoint and just her very presence. She is amazing. Jeffery Dean Morgan stole every scene he was in, a really intelligent, kind actor. Catherine Keener is so perfectly cast, understated and vulnerable. Their relationship should have gotten more screen time and have been much more developed. Marissa O'Donnell and Nat Wolff are both adorable here and their relationship together is very believable. I did not like the role of Elizabeth Olsen. She is an interesting actress, but her dialogue and life experience seemed too mature for her and her relationship with the butcher felt beyond them. Their scenes together did not work and I found myself fast-forwarding through them the second time I watched it.

A beautifully written film. Very well-cast. Beautifully acted. And sometimes it's nice, and necessary, to juxtapose life's observations with concrete examples. I don't know if I'm giving anything away, but here goes: Very 'put-together' husband asks very 'put-together' wife for a divorce. After wife's initial barb, her first reaction is: I'm taking the kids to Mom's. Natural, "I'm going to my mother's with the kids!" Sounds normal, right? We learn very quickly, there are issues between wife and Mom. This is where the film's strength lies. Even though she has deliberately stayed away for years, instinct has kicked in, against all intellect, and she needs to go back to where her issues took root. All the necessary characters are there to guide each person through their journey of discovery and road to self-awareness. But, the subtleties are there as well. Superb acting nods to Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener, & Jeffrey Dean Morgan as usual. A couple of brilliant small parts for Rosanna Arquette and Joyce Van Patten. But, also, HUGE kudos to Elizabeth Olsen & Nat Wolff for outstanding performances (whether they receive recognition from awards shows, or not), this film would not have succeeded without them.

It's a trippy little hippie film about people finding their way back, but only if you've left and can finance up and leaving your life. Most of us can't and in that respect, it annoyed me. But taken just for entertainment, it's a pleasant way to pass 96 minutes. Jane Fonda was out of place and seemed awkward. Scenes were fragmented and not connected so you don't really get the family vibe or shift. I believe you are supposed to have 'been there, done that' and just know how a family breaks up and the rich Mom just takes the kids to Woodstock and they all fall in love and live happily ever after. Favorite scene was Grandma (Jane Fonda)describing the Grateful Dead concert and the "rain" songs.

The hippies might be the only generation in history that embarrassed both their parents AND their children. It is the latter relationship that comes into play in "Peace, Love, and Misunderstanding", a predictable but enjoyable romp that might liberate everyone's Inner Freak. After 20 years of separation, Diane (Catherine Keener), a cold, strait-laced New York City lawyer who is abruptly divorced by her husband, reunites with her mother Grace (Jane Fonda) the ultimate, Woodstock, '60's, pot-smoking, tie-dye wearing free spirit. Diane also brings along her two teenage children, Zoë (an impressive Elisabeth Olson) and Jake who both think Granny is pretty cool. The relationships they all build forms the plot line framed by the nostalgia for Woodstock Nation. Like the earlier "Wanderlust", this film posits that as annoying, reckless and self-absorbed as they were, the hippies might have been on to something. They wanted to create a colorful, free, happy world and as Elvis Costello once questioned, what's so funny about peace, love and understanding?