In the Land of Women

Review by Clint Morris

As far as a rev-head is concerned, a car’s not complete until its been detailed. Pity filmmakers didn’t think this way – we’d have a lot more movies like Jonathan Kasdan’s debut, In The Land of Women.

So guys, what would you rather: Meg Ryan’s lips or Meg Ryan’s butt? 

If you picked the former, you won’t like the film. Simple as that. You’re obviously into things aren’t real. Women is anything but false – it’s as fleshy as a Girls Next Door star; as rich as any of the chaps that rent apartments in Trump towers and as real as… Meg Ryan’s butt. (Pity she had that horrendous lip job – she’s starting to look like Nicholson’s Joker). And it’s the little details – much like a Commodore – that help make the movie.

Though the wonderful Mrs Ryan (she is actually quite good in this; better than we’ve seen her in a while) does make her triumphant return to the big screen here, it’s actually former TV heartthrob Adam Brody (Seth on The OC) that’s the principal - and boy is he good.

While his former TV co-stars search for, well, whatever work they can get, the undeniably talented Brody has held out. He’s passed on a multitude of TV series since The OC wrapped, and needless to say, just as many movies. Thankfully, he didn’t pass on Kasdan’s (the son of Big Chill director Lawrence Kasdan) debut because it’s an absolute showcase of a vehicle for the talented actor/producer/musician.

In it, Brody plays Aspiring writer Carter Webb (he’s making a life writing soft porn movies) who has just been dumped by his true love Sophia. Heartbroken and depressed, he escapes Los Angeles to suburban Michigan to care for his wacky grandmother (Olympia Dukakis). Upon arriving in the ‘burbs, Carter makes friends with the mother (Meg Ryan) and daughter (Kristen Stewart) across the road – ultimately forming special bonds with both women.

This is as small as movies get – its even smaller than say, You Can Count on Me or Beautiful Girls; to use examples of other indy rom-coms. It’s such a tiny contained film that a claustrophobe will be hyperventilating within its first five minutes. Essentially, you’ve got the one setting – or a couple of settings – a few characters, a fairly simply straight-forwards story without any killer twists or effects, and just over an hour-and-a-half of film.

And you know what?

It’s great.

How refreshing it is to watch real people in real situations with real emotions and real journeys – journeys that don’t necessarily result in warm and fuzzy kisses; life lessons nor a make-out scene to the tune of Savage Garden. Its also wonderful to watch characters, rather than actors, and be able to ‘go’ with them on their journey without being fully aware that their lives exist purely in screenplay form.

Brody is absolutely fantastic as Carter – he’ll have you forgetting about the dorky Seth from Orange County within the first five minutes of the film. The guy is damn talented. Equally impressive are Ryan (but again, Meg, what’s with the plastic surgery?); Kristen Stewart (The Messengers, Panic Room) and the delightful Olympia Dukakis, who steals all of her scenes as the screw loose grandma.

Its not an out-and-out winner (feels a little too audience friendly at times, and the ending needed much more punch) but In the Land of Women is definitely one of the most enjoyable movies I’ve personally seen this year - and quite possibly - one of the best films of the year. 

3.5 out of 5

In the Land of Women
Australian release: 26th July, 2007
Cast: Adam Brody, Meg Ryan, Kristen Stewart, Olympia Dukakis, Elena Anaya
Director: Jonathan Kasdan
Website: Click here.