Rating: 
Summary: Sensitive film with as much to say to men as to women
Review: LOVELY & AMAZING is just what this beautiful little film is. Though the main characters are all bruised women - wannabe actress, flailing crafts-maker housewife, adopted African American 8 year old who grapples with obesity/skin color/genetic parent memories, and the mother of all three of these who places her 'embarassingly aging body' in the hands of a plastic surgeon - the etiology of thier dysfunction is tightly joined to their questionable ability to interact with men. The men range from a womanizing husband, an insensitive lover, an 'unavailable' doctor who begin the path toward the women's testing their needs and fears with movie stars and adolescents. In the hands of a lesser writer/director this could be corny, but with Nicole Holofcener's skill she creates plausible people and situations that are the perfect blend of comedy with tragedy. The cast is outstanding: Brenda Blethyn's mother demonstrates once again how versatile this actress truly is, Catherine Keener and Emily Mortimer and Raven Goodwin give us fully realised characters and the contributions of the "good guys" Jake Gyllenhall and Dermot Mulroney really bring heart to the story. The remainder of the cast is uniformly strong. Some people are classifying this as a "Chick Flick", but speaking as a man I think there is much to be learned about the frailties and strengths of women and the concurrent availability of worthwhile men available to them if each can swim past the social and emotional barricades we learn and see the lovely and amazing aspects of the individual heart.
Rating: 
Summary: Film that's full of humor, but no resolution
Review: Lovely & Amazing surprised me at the sheer content of sociological examination. Nearly every scene exposes a glimpse at unspoken, or rather rarely-spoken, idiosyncracies in everyday interaction.For example, the adopted girl, Annie, shows white viewers that even at her young age she must confront such topics as: straightening her hair, being told her "mother" (older black woman who is a mentor) must wear a swimming cap in the pool while the white swimmers do not; being told she doesn't need sunscreen because her "skin is already brown"; understanding why her adopted mother needs liposuction to look better (Annie must wonder if she needs to look better also). These are but a breach in the bundle of issues this movie examines. Each character raises a multitude of motifs that could serve as meaningful topics for lengthy essays. If I were a sociology professor, this movie would be required viewing in my classes.
Rating: 
Summary: Insightful
Review: Lovely & Amazing surprised me at the sheer content of sociological examination. Nearly every scene exposes a glimpse at unspoken, or rather rarely-spoken, idiosyncracies in everyday interaction. For example, the adopted girl, Annie, shows white viewers that even at her young age she must confront such topics as: straightening her hair, being told her "mother" (older black woman who is a mentor) must wear a swimming cap in the pool while the white swimmers do not; being told she doesn't need sunscreen because her "skin is already brown"; understanding why her adopted mother needs liposuction to look better (Annie must wonder if she needs to look better also). These are but a breach in the bundle of issues this movie examines. Each character raises a multitude of motifs that could serve as meaningful topics for lengthy essays. If I were a sociology professor, this movie would be required viewing in my classes.
Rating:
Summary: Lacked coherence.
Review: Lovely and Amazing (Nicole Holofcener, 2001) Nicole Holofcener (Sex and the City, Gilmore Girls, Six Feet Under) delivers her second feature film in which a lot of people do a lot of talking and no one actually does much of anything. This one centers around a mother (Brenda Blethyn, recently seen in Little Voice) who's about to go into the hospital for liposuction, and her three daughters, Elizabeth (Emily Mortimer of The Ghost and the Darkness fame), Michelle (Catherine Keener from being John Malkovich), and adopted daughter Annie (Raven Goodwin, last seen in The Station Agent). The mother and the three daughters are all variously dysfunctional. Elizabeth, an actress, has a minor part in a movie that's about to open and no other forthcoming prospects. Michelle is an artists trying to consign her handicrafts to various art stores and failing repeatedly, while her husband is off knocking boots with her best friend. Annie, transracially adopted, is just trying to fit in however she can. Let's face it, it's an Oprah Movie Club pick waiting to happen, if Oprah ever starts a movie club. Still, it's got its good points. I rented it solely for the Jake Gyllenhaal factor, truth be told. While Gyllenhaal's entrance into the movie comes late, the boy is never less than a pleasure to watch onscreen, and he does a great deal to redeem the movie (his character is the catalyst that drives many of the few events that actually occur in the film). Dermot Mulroney, as a possible new relationship for Elizabeth, does some of his best work here since Young Guns (one wonders if, between this and The Safety of Objects, Mr. Mulroney isn't beginning to vault himself up onto the A list). The four main actresses are all very good in their roles, if not actually given much to do. Even the normally loathsome Brenda Blethyn is watchable (i.e., a bit less loathsome than usual), though she just doesn't sound right with an American accent. The strength of the movie, however, lies in Raven Goodwin. Annie's search for some way to fit in to the mess that is this family provides most of the movie's truly absorbing moments (the relationship between Keener and Gyllenhaal providing the rest of them). The rest of the movie seems to be made with an eye towards exciting a kind of embarrassed, nervous laughter from the viewer (and it succeeds well), but most of the scenes containing Annie aim for the heart, and without the usual emotional manipulation one is apt to find in most Hollywood fare. It's a refreshing change. If you want movies where lots of things happen, you can probably dismiss this. If you don't mind a slow pace and a lot of dysfunction, give it a look. ** ½
Rating: 
Summary: Waist of celluloid...
Review: Lovely and Amazing should have been a brilliant film about a family of women dealing their inner neuroses while trying to maintain a sensible family dynamic. What came out was a droll, boring, and unwitty. Katherine Keener, whom I generally like was unwatchable as an unhappy housewife who is forced to get a job when she can't sell her tacky craftwork. Emily Mortimer plays a typical actress type with a low self image and no ability to say what she wants. Brenda Blethyn, typically a strong acctress, is weak as the mother of this motley crue. She is seeing the signs of old age and decides to have plastic surgery, there are complications and she almost dies. This even brings the family back together and all is right with the world again.. BLAH.. I left this movie felling empty and unfulfilled. I am actually sorry i wasted the money to rent it.
Rating:
Summary: No Man's Land
Review: Lovely, but far from amazing, this film is more of a vignette briefly examining the lives of three sisters and their mom who is approaching a cosmetic surgery procedure. Perhaps "Lovely and Amazing" is best suited for the ladies, as no men make an impact of any measure. Great acting and lots of potential but the film really doesn't go anywhere. Also, the sound was weak, always a bad idea for a dialogue heavy (and dependent) film. Michael Duranko
www.bootism.com
Rating:
Summary: I'll tell you what's Lovely and what's Amazing...
Review: My first reaction after watching the film was "Gee, actors/actresses are so seasonal." Catherine Keener was just in S1m0ne and Jake Gyllenhaal was just in The Good Girl (playing pretty much the same character who has relationships with older women). Setting the trivial aside, I think Nicole Holofcener's "Lovely and Amazing" is an interesting, albeit a little bit depressing, film of three sisters (two biological, and one adopted) with problems on just about everything - life, love and career. This film follows the ups and the downs of the Marks women in their various quests for boyfriends, better looks, fulfilling jobs, etc. Catherine Keener is the cornerstone of this film. She plays Michelle Marks, the eldest daughter of Jane (Brenda Blethyn). Michelle is a stay-at-home wife who likes to dabble in handicrafts (which she desperately tries to sell). Elizabeth (Emily Mortimer) is Michelle's younger biological sister. She's an actress with a heart of gold but with major insecurities about her looks. Annie (Raven Goodwin) is Jane's adopted African-American daughter (thereby making her the stepsister of Michelle and Elizabeth); she also has the most memorable scenes. Her naive view of the world and her strong sense of self makes up for the "amazing" in the title. Things just don't go right for any of the women. Michelle's marriage has stagnated, and she is obliged to find a job. Elizabeth was turned down for a role opposite Kevin McCabe (Dermot Mulroney) for not being "sexy" enough. Annie is confused at why she's so different from her sisters (skin color and all). Jane suffers post-operative complications from her liposuction. Just when all the world seems to tumble and fall, the Marks women take comfort in knowing they still have each other to hold on to. Now that's the "lovely" part of this movie. I think this film is geared more towards a female audience. I'm not saying men wouldn't enjoy this film either, but it would hardly be one they would watch alone. ;) LEAP rating (each out of 5):
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L (Language) - 3 (a lot of candid humor and witty remarks, esp. by Annie)
E (Erotica) - 3.5 ("tell me what you think. be honest." full two-minute frontal)
A (Action) - 0 (n/a)
P (Plot) - 2.5 (not much of a plot, explores a dysfunctional family, and how they learn to accept who they are and take stock in what they have)
Rating:
Summary: The Marks Women
Review: Nicole Holfcener's "Lovely and Amazing" is not all lovely and amazing but it certainly is pretty and unique. I think the film's success or failure depends largely on how you perceive/like/tolerate/love/hate Catherine Keener; for she is the kingpin and the do or die of this movie.
On the negative side, Catherine Keener-wise, she has pretty much been playing the same role for the last ten years: super smart, a bit needy, marginally successful, and sometimes strident. And she exhibits many of these traits in the role of eldest daughter Michelle Marks, daughter of Jane (Brenda Blethyn) and older sister of Elizabeth (Emily Mortimer).
On the positive side, Keener has some rare for her quiet, dramatic scenes that she handles with aplomb. These scenes mostly involve her mother and her stepsister and they are refreshing in that Keener is allowed to show her softer, vulnerable side. She also has some hilarious, loopy, smartly written and directed scenes with Jake Gyllenhaal as her erstwhile and amorous "boyfriend."
"Lovely and Amazing" follows the lives and loves, the ups and the downs of the Marks women in their various quests for boyfriends, flatter tummies, fulfilling jobs, etc.
Holcener has infused the film with humor and a slightly off-center wit that carry the film along at a fast clip but she also knows how and when to slow down the pace and get serious. There are many touching scenes such as the one between Elizabeth and Kevin McCabe (Dermot Mulroney) in which she asks him to assess her naked body because, like most of us, she has body issues. He reacts by pointing out the mostly good as well as the not so bad. He calls the incident "refreshing" and indeed it is in an astringent, gee-she's-really naked-for-three-minutes kind of way. Heretofore, McCabe, an actor and closet good guy has been painted as a jerk but Elizabeth obviously sees something we don't and proves to be right.
"Lovely and Amazing" is a rare breed of film: one that can make you laugh and then laugh harder. It touches not only your heart but your soul as well.
Rating:
Summary: So sad about us.
Review: Nicole Holofcener's Lovely And Amazing has alot of terrific moments, but overall pales in comparison to her earlier Walking And Talking. The comedic tone this time is a lot darker as we observe a few days in the life of a mother and her three "screwed-up" daughters (two biological adults and an adopted African-American child). Holofcener again uses the acerbic Indie staple Catherine Keener, who plays the lazy, bored and arrogant eldest daughter. Keener is without doubt the best thing here, she's played this character many times before but does it so well the repitition hardly matters. If only the other characters were as engaging (or as painfully true to life). Lovely And Amazing suffers from the presence of a few flat (male) characters and one too many unresolved subplots.
It's a more ambitious film than Walking And Talking and that's probably why it's not as satisfying. In an age of expensive, overpraised, CGI smothered, Tinseltown atrocities, the very existence of a small budgeted delight like Lovely And Amazing is quite revolutionary.
Rating: 
Summary: This was an awful movie about some very self centered people
Review: Okay, I read the caption, three women coping with loneliness in their own way. Yikes, loneliness of incredible self absorbsion. This movie was a farce. At least I hope it was intentional. A white older woman with 2 grown daughters and a black step-daughter leads the way into this self absorbed group, deciding to get liposuction, because she has visions of attracting the physician operating on her.
Her eldest daughter, does nothing but loafing and poor quality arts and crafts which she tries to pawn off as high art to local dealers. She whines to her husband when she is unsuccessful, but her obnoxious attitude does little to get her sympathy.
The middle daughter, an actress is the least absorbed of the bunch and that is saying alot. She gets frustrated with the demands of her business that asks too much of her shy nature.
Her youngest; the adopted child is willful and spoiled. Often lying and doing what she pleases. However, it is hard to blame a child with these adults as models. With this cast of characters, you find only the subtlest humor in their misfortunes. Most of them brought on by their own selfishness. I felt like I was watching a train wreck. The pity of it is, all felt like they were due some sympathy for their sad state. All were lonely, yet none would give the time of day to a stranger in the same state, except possibly the actress daughter, this was her undoing however. The story line is how the 2 elder daughters coped while their mother was in the hospital and how they dealt with the babysitting chore of their youngest sister. I felt this movie had only negative characters and made them as shallow as possible to exploit this part of their character. The movie dragged and I was happy when it was over. What a waste.
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