Saturday, November 29, 2008

THE NANNY DIARIES

THE NANNY DIARIES
Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney, Paul Giamatti, Donna Murphy, Nicholas Art, Alicia Keys, Chris Evans


"A comedy about life at the top, as seen from the bottom"


Star Movies




For someone who isn't into chick lit or chick lit turned into movies, I was surprisingly quite amused with this film.

The film is accompanied by a witty and sometimes funny narrative about the observations of the main character, Annie (Scarlett Johansson). She is a fresh-out-of-college Jersey girl who is uncertain of her future. Her mother is eager for her to join the corporate world but Annie is more interested in anthropology. She ends up accepting a job from Mrs. X to work as a nanny. Annie decides to approach the job like an anthropologist in the field, and she is alternately fascinated and appalled by her observations of the artificial lifestyle of the upper end of society. A life camouflaged with luxurious houses, designer brands yet devoid of any genuine emotional attachments.

The film is filled with Annie's adventures both as a nanny and as an observer of life in general. The cast is endearingly humane despite their character's stoic nature. Laura Linney is perfect as the Stepford wife like Mrs. X. Paul Giamatti delivers a perfectly smarmy performance as the philandering Mr. X. Scarlett Johannson as Annie was refreshing to watch and her narrative about the hypocrisy of Manhattan's upper-crust was spot on. The kid was bratty as expected and how WASPy to name your son, Grayer of all names. But I noticed that the love interest angle seemed a bit forced. As if it was imperative for Annie to meet some guy and fall in love with him. Never mind if he was portrayed by the attractive Chris Evans addressed in the movie as Harvard Hottie. Alicia Keys as Annie's best friend Lynette was a revelation, she essayed her role with an ethereal vibe.

Overall the film was amusingly entertaining and lighthearted with clever nuances about life on the upper end of the spectrum as narrated by a naive yet smart nanny!

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