RAISING HELEN
US, 2004, 118 minutes, Colour.
Kate Hudson, John Corbett, Joan Cusack, Helen Mirren, Haydn Pannettiere, Spencer Breslin, Abigail Breslin.
Directed by Gary Marshall.
If you are not a heart on sleeve movie buff, then you had better steer clear of Helen. If you are, then there are enough sitcom elements to bring a smile and a tear and the enjoyable presence of Kate Hudson and Joan Cusack.
Helen (Kate Hudson) is the youngest of three sisters, raised by her perfect mother-earth sister, Jenny (Joan Cusack), after their mother died. When their older sister and her husband are killed in a car crash, Helen is bequeathed the children (three of them). She is a very successful career woman in a modelling agency (run with tight lipped British definitely-not-heart-on-sleeve executive played by Helen Mirren – she would not be going to a movie complex to see Raising Helen). What is Helen to do?
Reminiscent of Kevin Smith’s Jersey Girl, Raising Helen shows Helen trying to raise the children as best she can. This is where the sitcom elements come in: 15 year old infatuated with student DJ goes to motel, boy won’t play basketball because that is what he did with his father, little girl is learning to tie her shoelaces (Unmarried with Children). To help Helen in the fortitude area, she is supported by the hunkish Lutheran pastor, principal of the local school as well as by poor Jenny who already has three children and is pregnant. John Corbett as Pastor Dan is a Lutheran equivalent of Bing Crosby going my way but unimpeded by a vow of celibacy. He is pretty wooden but Helen does fall for him.
Garry Marshall has directed some very popular sweet-toothed entertainments, especially Pretty Woman. Raising Helen, even though it does have situations that parents can easily identify with, is, perhaps, just too sweet.
1.A film about family, family values? Death, grief? New families, new beginnings? Sentiment and sentimentality?
2.A New York-New? Jersey story? The American city, homes and suburbs? Workplaces? Schools? Audiences identifying with the characters and the situations?
3.A star vehicle for Kate Hudson, carrying the film? The supporting cast?
4.The title and its irony, raising the children, the children and their educating and raising Helen? Lindsay’s last wishes, her letters to Helen and Jenny? The reasons for her choice, the nomination of Helen? Helen being like Lindsay and Jenny not being like Lindsay?
5.Helen and her sisters, their place in the family, their mother’s early death? Jenny and her care for the sisters, tying their shoelaces and her story for doing that? The happiness in the family versus duty and freedom? Jenny and her sense of duty, lacking freedom? Helen the youngest and free, Lindsay and the happiness of her husband and family? The impact of the death in the accident? Jenny and her talk about mothering? Helen and her not being fitted to be a mother? The aftermath, the wake, Helen in the cupboard with the children, Jenny and her practical arrangements, meeting the visitors etc?
6.Seeing Helen at work, with Dominique, her good nature and helping Tinka? Getting the tradesman to be the model for the advertising? Her skills, assisting all the people at the agency? The other members of the staff, the staff meetings, their ambitions, the world of fashion, travels to Miami, Dominique and her style, her dominance?
7.The initial celebration, the introduction to all the characters, their lifestyle, interrelationships, family, children, the cousins, exuberance, the dancing – followed by tragedy?
8.The lawyer and the reading of the letters, the shock to both Helen and Jenny, the children and their reaction? Moving in, the details of everyday life, meals? The issue of money? Helen being near work? The search for the school, seeing St Barbara’s, meeting the people, Pastor Dan and Helen and her claiming to be Lutheran, his genial response? Helen and her ability to care for the children, get them ready for school, the issues of food and lunches? Contradicting or following up what their parents taught them?
9.The portrait of the children, Audrey and her age, difficult? Going to school, the relationship with B.Z? The crush on him, the party at home, Helen closing it down and Audrey’s reaction? The neighbour with the baseball bat? The prospect of the prom, Helen helping her with the dress? Her leaving with Peter, going to the motel with B.Z., Jenny and the laying down of the law, her harsh reaction? Her later apology? Helen telling her that she was a child, having to give up the credit card? Learning? Henry, playing basketball with his father, the coach at school, his stopping playing, the discussion with Helen, the reasons for grief, playing again? Sarah, her age, her shoelaces, being hungry, running across the catwalk? The party for the hippopotamus? The children being with Helen, visiting Jenny for Mother’s Day, the showdown, their choices?
10.Jenny and her husband, her pregnancy, talking to the baby, mothering everyone, the Mother’s Day celebration, her bluntness? Her helping with the motel situation, the showdown? Her not showing the letter to Helen, relenting, telling the joke, on the swing?
11.Helen and her having to cope, Dominique and her having to leave work, her personality, meetings with Daniel, the dates, the zoo, the dead turtle and buying another? The catwalk situation, Sarah and the hippo party, singing “Happy Birthday”? Her joy with Tinka’s success, being called back by Dominique?
12.Daniel, the Lutheran pastor, always being around, attracted towards Helen, the dates, the prom, his forcing the boys to give him information, the zoo outing, the kiss at the door, the happy ending?
13.Dominique, the fashion editor, her needing Helen, her ruling her domain, the catwalk and her disdain of the children?
14.A blend of the heart-warming, the sentimental – with the touches of realism, especially about death, growing up, family care?
