After years of looking for Mr. Right, Charlotte ‘Charlie’ Cantilini (Jennifer Lopez) finally finds the man of her dreams (Michael Vartan) only to discover that his mother (Jane Fonda) is the woman of her nightmares. A recently fired national news anchor who is afraid she will lose her son the way she has just lost her career, Viola Fields determines to scare off her son’s new fiancé by becoming the world’s worst mother-in-law. While Viola’s long-time assistant Ruby (Wanda Sykes) does her best to help Viola execute her crazy schemes, Charlie decides to fight back and the gloves come off as the women battle it out to see just who is the alpha-female. “Monster-In-Law” marks Fonda’s return to the big screen after a 14-year absence.
(48 votes)
2.
Charlie (Jennifer Lopez) is looking for a nice guy who will appreciate her, as well as her myriad of interests and jobs. From walking dogs to painting to designing clothes to answering phones at a doctor's office, Charlie does it all. Keith (Michael Vartan) seems to fit the bill as a perfect match for her: he's charming, handsome, a successful doctor, and he is completely smitten with her. And now, he has proposed and wants to marry her. There's just one problem: his mother, Viola (Jane Fonda), is a nightmare. A legendary television journalist who has an on-air breakdown after being replaced by a much younger woman, Viola virtually lives for Keith, especially now that her career is apparently over. She doesn't think Charlie is good enough for her son, and she plans to do everything she can to break them up.
Enlisting the help of her assistant, brutally honest Ruby (Wanda Sykes), Viola plots ways to drive Charlie crazy--and get her away from her son. She feigns illness, belittles her future daughter-in-law's jobs, and invites her son's old flame to visit at inopportune moments, among other things. But Viola underestimates Charlie, who isn't about to give up a happy future with Keith without a fight. Directed by Richard Luketic (LEGALLY BLONDE, WIN A DATE WITH TAD HAMILTON!), MONSTER-IN-LAW marks Fonda's return to the big screen following a 14-year absence. Elaine Stritch appears as Viola's own former monster-in-law.
(49 votes)
3.
As an esteemed television journalist put out to pasture by the networks and faced with the engagement of her son, Jane Fonda is fierce, funny, and ready to rumble as the title character in Monster-in-Law in a way that the rest of the film itself never really is. Jennifer Lopez, the film's other above-the-title star, is set to marry handsome, wealthy Michael Vartan but has one helluva time dealing with his insanely possessive mother. The result is pretty much what you'd expect--lots of snarls and slapstick and an easy, kisses-all-around conclusion, though it is surprising (and maybe a little disheartening) to watch Fonda throw herself into such disposable comedy with such gusto. Director Robert Luketic, who slept while Reese Witherspoon tottered off with his Legally Blonde, once again relies solely on the assembled talent: He leaves a high-wattage Lopez playing things a little too cute, a reedy Vartan looking visibly disinterested, and canny comedian Wanda Sykes making what she can--which, luckily, is a lot--of her role as Fonda's wisecracking personal assistant (the type of black sidekick role that's an indication of how creakily formulaic the film is). See it for Fonda, if you feel like it, then wish her a better engagement in the future. --Steve Wiecking
(47 votes)
4.
She met the perfect man. Then she met his mother! Charlie (Jennifer Lopez) thought she'd never find the man of her dreams until she meets Kevin (Michael Vartan). However, poor Charlie is in for a shock when she finally meets his overly possessive mother, Viola (Jane Fonda). Determined to scare off her son's new fiancée, Viola hatches a scheme to become the world's worst mother-in-law! With the help of her loyal, wise-cracking assistant (Wanda Sykes), Viola does everything she can to break up the happy couple. But when Charlie gets wise to her schemes and decides to fight back, a wild and hysterical battle of wits begins!
(45 votes)
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