Relative Strangers

source: Relative Strangers

to this day, when my kids see a cheese ball at the store or on a cooking show, wherever, they say " I made it with my own 2 feet" and They do some Danny Devito bits too. It is a simply hilarious movie. With a refreshing "humble thyself" message that can hit home when you have a challenging family, which everyone does in some form or fashion. Kathy Bates and Danny D are perfect. Scoot! Blackfoot! Rugs:) ..cut ya a deal. Watch it with your kids. Believe me they will appreciate your sanity compared with having parents like these, both sets. Cringing awkwardness in places. The scene at Livingston's snobby parents house is classic. Yentl! Mother Juggs and Speed! The rating on this must be because some uptight a-holes rated it or not enough people have seen it. See It!

Upon watching this film, you will begin to realize why Ron Livingston's career has gone south to hibernate, and may never return from this awkward film. Also starring Kathy Bates and Danny DeVito in co-starring roles. However, they really do not make the film any more watch-able. The films premise is about a 35 year old man finding out he is adopted, pretty bland for a comedy film, and might I add, Ben Stiller had already done this concept in almost the same exact way several years before in the more successful 'Flirting with Disaster'. I believe that if not the characters portrayed by Bates and DeVito had been "so down to Earth" country bumpkins and looking nothing like Livingston's character, it may have faired better! Even so, this film has a cult following because of Ron Livingston. 3/10!

This was by no means a great movie, but it was enjoyable. The production values were low and the performances at times suffered from overacting -- especially by Danny DeVito. But, the film had a little bit of heart, and I couldn't help but smile at times. Neve Campbell is so beautiful here; I can't understand why she's not more famous. She just radiates and lights up the screen every time she is on here. Kathy Bates was great, as always, but I found Ron Livingston's performance to be a little stale. If you're looking for a lighthearted movie to help you waste away a Sunday afternoon, this is it. Just don't expect too much and you won't be that disappointed.

A 10 for a comedy. Yes a wonderfully delightful film. Danny DiVito and Kathy Bates were fantastic. It was a movie that took a wonderful look at the snobs in this world and how in reality most of us have people in our families that are more like the Manure's. I sure do, and yes sometimes I am a little embarrassed. But when i comes down to it. They are the genuine most loving people and the ones that truly stand by you. I can not believe how wonderful Kathy Bates was and what an actress she is that she can do so many different parts. What a hoot she is. I had a bunch of people over and we watched this video and we went out of our minds laughing and I have not had a laugh like this in a long time and did it ever feel good. I do not know why this was not out in the theaters more. They should run it again through the theaters. I have got to say it was wonderful and a truly must see film. Neve Cambell and Ron Livingston were sweet but it was really the rest of the cast that stole the show and I mean they stole it. I do not know who these ones that gave it a bad review are but, then again I saw lots of great reviews for "For Your Consideration" and that one hardly had a chuckle. And Beverly D'Angelo I did not even know who she was, and she was great. So was Christine Baranski, and this time she was so good with just letting you know with her facial expressions.

I was looking for a Christa Campbell fix until I could watch her next movie. I wore out last month's Playboy and Scars hasn't arrived. I noticed her in this little comedy and said, what the heck! Unfortunately, I waited about 75 minutes before she appeared for about 60 seconds, not saying a word. Oh, well, the wait was worth it and there was a pretty funny comedy in the meantime. I have to say that Neve Campbell really surprised me in this film. She was really good. She made me forget all about those Scream and Wild Things. Ron Livingston was great as the psychologist who finds out that his real parents are carny folk as opposed to the snobs that raised him. Danny DeVito and Kathy bates were hilarious as the parents. I always like Christine Baranski, and she didn't disappoint with her nose high in the air. Lots of laughs, and you can guess the ending.

It took a while of watching to finally catch on to the plot. Actually, I was a bit "bored" for a while, but as I continued to watch I began to really enjoy it. In the end I it made me feel good. Once in a while a movie comes along that does that! I know people that are "to good for everyone else" so it was funny to see this in a movie. I would say this movie is about a 6 rating, but I gave it a ten on the vote to up the percentage from those gave it a zero. It is worth checking out. The cast is really good. It is funny seeing Devito and Deangelo in their roles, as this movie was a bit of a change from the usual. I think I have the hots for Neve Campbell after watching this movie and have always been a fan of Mr. Office Space, Livingston.

The movie is first rate with a great acting ensemble like Ron Livingston better known for his leading role in Office Space, Emmy Winner Christine Baranski playing his adoptive mother, Edward Herrmann as his adoptive father. His adoptive parents are conservative WASPY and prominent country club member folks living in suburban Chicago. Neve Campbells plays his loving and supportive fiancé. Beverly D'Angelo is almost unrecognizable as his tacky future mother-in-law. Of course, the movie gets wild when he is introduced to the Menures played by Oscar winner Kathy Bates and Danny DeVito as the traveling carnival trailer park folks who are the complete opposite of his adoptive parents. It brings the argument of nature v. nurture. Bates and DeVito really liven things up after only a weekend which lasts longer when their trailer is destroyed by a tornado in Illinois. There is a moment where he imagines his birth parents to be intelligent, elitist, and left wingers only to get the Menures. The movie was just shown on Comedy Central and I'm sure we'll be seeing it again and again if Comedy Central knows what it's good for!

Imagine the cruelty of adoptive parents to tell an unsuspecting son that he is adopted? To make matters worse, the Claytons, a rich couple, have waited a long time to spring the news to Richard, who is about to get married! This is the premise for this comedy created by Greg Glienna, who also contributed to its screen play. The film, which went directly to video, never had a chance to make it commercially, in spite of the prominent figures in the cast. In fact, the film seems to this viewer as a variation of the more successful "Meet the Parents", which employed Mr. Glienna as a writer. Not that this film is horrible, by any means, but it appears the powers that be must have had doubts about its impact and sent it to the DVD limbo. Ron Livingston, who is seen as Richard, the man who is told he has been living a lie, is quite good and shows a flair for comedy. Neve Campbell is also effective in playing the object of Richard's love. The combination of the vulgar Meneres as played broadly by Danny Devito and Kathy Bates have some good moments. Christine Baranski and Edward Herrmann play the Claytons, the uptight adoptive parents. The one that is hardly recognizable is Beverly D'Angelo, who must have gone through a procedure to change the way we remembered her.

I had the pleasure of seeing this film at a sneak preview in Los Angeles earlier this year and have been waiting to see it's release here in the US. Apparently, it's being released overseas which is a shame as it would seem to go over better in America being so..American. This film was just a lot of fun. Danny DeVito and Kathy Bates play the white-trash birth parents of Ron Livingston, an uptight self help author. His fiancée is played by the incredibly sexy Neve Campbell who I could watch in anything. DeVito and Bates characters are very broad, almost cartoons but by the end of the film you really feel they are real people and the film packs an emotional punch that was really unexpected. Along the way are some hilarious scenes..Bates and DeVito are a great team! I loved the talk show appearance where his parents unexpectedly (of course) show up and he loses it. It seems like so many films have to be about something deep and have a cynical edge nowadays but this film was just fun to watch and left me smiling at the end. The audience I saw it with exploded with laughs frequently through out. I can imagine this film is not for every taste but if you can relax and just enjoy a feel good, fun comedy, I recommend this film highly