Two Weeks Notice / Divine Secrets Of The Ya-Ya Sisterhood (Full Screen Edition Two-Pack)

Rating:
Summary: TWO MEDIOCRE FILMS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE...
Review:
TWO WEEKS NOTICE **

Both my daughter and I looked forward to seeing this film. I am a big fan of both Sandra Bullocks and Hugh Grant, as they are charismatic and talented actors with a feel for comedy. Unfortunately, even they cannot overcome a witless script and the ham-handed direction of Marc Lawrence.

Sandra Bullock plays the role of neurotic Lucy Kelson, a Harvard Law School grad who follows in the footsteps of her activist parents by becoming an activist lawyer. Hugh Grant is in his element as George Wade, a real estate developer and playboy tycoon. When they are brought together by fate, they strike a deal that they believe would be in each of their respective best interests. Lucy will work for George as his chief counsel, while George promises not to apply the wrecker's ball to her beloved Coney Island community center.

Unfortunately, as time passes, these two opposites begin to be attracted to each other. Just as fate contrived to bring them together, however, it appears that fate will also tear them apart. When Lucy discovers that George will be unable to keep his promise about the Coney Island community center, she gives him two weeks notice. Enter June Carter (Alicia Witt), also a Harvard Law grad and Lucy's replacement. The luscious June quickly sizes up George Wade and sets her cap for him, causing Lucy to suffer pangs of jealousy of which she had been previously unaware.

There are no surprises in this formulaic film. Hugh Grant does his slightly wacky British turn, while Sandra Bullocks turns in another intelligently ditzy, infectious performance. It is the script and the direction, however, not the actors, that jettison this remarkably unfunny, romantic comedy. The laughs are few and far between. The dialogue is one dimensional and cartoonish. It fails to build a believable romance between the two main characters. Quite frankly, all the film does is waste the considerable talents of Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullocks, as well as the viewer's time. It is an unintelligent, pedestrian film that would otherwise have tanked but for its star power.

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DIVINE SECRETS OF THE YA-YA SISTERHOOD ***

This is a film about mother/daughter relationships and about unconditional love. Despite being marked by fine performances, the film never really grabs the viewer, at least, not this viewer. While moderately enjoyable, I found the film to fall a little flat, as the whole Ya-Ya thing left me cold, finding it all a bit silly.

Not having read the book of the same name upon which the film is based, I had no frame of reference. Judging strictly on the merits of the film, I found that it has its ups and downs. The name of the film is apparently derived from a childhood club to which a group of lifelong friends belonged as children in which they were all Ya-Ya priestesses. These friends, of which Vivi (Ellyn Burstyn) is at the center of this story, are all trying to reconcile Vivi to her daughter Sidda (Sandra Bullock). The friends, as well as Vivi, are all aging southern belles from Louisiana. Sidda, however, has moved North, where she is a budding, successful playwright.

Sidda had a traumatic childhood, as her mother is a mercurial woman with a drinking problem. It seems that Vivi never got over losing her childhood sweetheart during the war. She married another man, Shep Walker (James Garner), Sidda's father and a man who has loved Vivi unconditionally throughout their entire married life, and proceeded to put her husband and her children through a living hell. Still, Vivi and Sidda manage to plod along as so many mothers and daughters do, until Vivi goes too far and Sidda decides that enough is enough.

The story of Vivi, Sidda, and Shep is told in flashbacks, which provide the most interesting parts of the movie. Ashley Judd is simply sensational as the young Vivi, and she outshines all the film and stage veterans in this film, infusing the role with a gritty reality. David Lee Smith is very good as the hunky young Shep, the husband who tries to understand a mercurial wife who has become unbalanced by her longing for what could never be.

Ellen Burstyn as the senior Vivi is not as compelling as the younger one portrayed by Ashley Judd. The senior Vivi comes across as a silly, petulant, spoiled, self-absorbed woman who needs a good swift kick in the butt. Consequently, the viewer cares very little for what happens to her, even though she is eventually reconciled to her daughter and comes to appreciate her patient, selfless husband.

Maggie Smith, Fionnula Flanagan, and Shirley Knight are all excellent as Vivi's lifelong friends, though Ms. Smith occasionally seems to have a bit of difficulty suppressing her British accent. They inject a touch of humor into their attempts to reconcile the estranged Vivi and Sidda, which is a good counterpoint to the underlying pathos of the film. Sandra Bullock is also excellent as the fed up Sidda, who has said that enough is enough. As in all her film, she charms the viewer. James Garner is wonderful as Vivi's long suffering husband, who comes to be appreciated by Vivi only at the end.

Unfortunately, the director appears to have striven for mawkishness. Consequently, the ending of this film is enough to make one gag, as Sidda is inducted into the Ya-Ya sisterhood. This alone is enough for me to counsel viewers to rent, and not buy, this film.