The Parent Trap(1998)- Review #7

As I promised, I am reviewing a Film that Natasha Richardson has appeared in, and will continue to do more!

The Parent Trap(1998) is a movie that has all the qualifications of a movie that I wouldn't be interested in(especially at first sight and also seeing snippits of the Hayley Mills version as a kid and not being impressed didn't help). I don't do well suspending My dis-belief, so it is easy to see how a movie about two eleven-year-old girls meeting at a summer camp who just happen to be separated-at birth identical twins separated in VERY unlikely circumstances (O.K.-IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN!!!) -meaning that their parents separated and "felt" that they wanted no more contact with each other. To make things as "painless" as possible for each other, they each take one of the twin girls and vow never to let the knowledge of this reach the daughters. WHAT THE........ LOL. WOW. Again, seeing the 1961 version turned me off of the story and hearing about a remake passed through my consciousness well......Not at all. I guess I really never even cared to see it until now. So that is when I sat down on the living floor, popped it in......and was really pleasantly pleased with Lindsay Lohan's Performance(s)! Sure. There is My personal fave Jodie Foster, and also others like Tatum O'Neal, and a slew of other child actors who give performances that are infinitely more remarkable, but Lohan was fun to watch. She emoted well, and was never really out-of-synch playing the two girls. As far as the clicheted stuff that was BOUND to come with the movie, the scenery of California and a little bit of London are beautifully shot-and I daresay make up for some of the cliche baggage. What also REALLY helps is the performances of Dennis Quaid(as Nick Parker-the girls' father-he raises the rambunctious twin Hallie on a vineyard in California) and a deliciously mean Meredith Blake(Elaine Hendrix) who might just be the chink in the plan for the twin girls to reunite their birth parents. Yeah-the story is well known by many, so spoiler alert is not really warranted too much, but what I really recommend, again, is the fun the actors bring to this movie-Which brings Me to Natasha Richardson. Natasha is in the role of Elizabeth James-the girls' bridal-dress designing and proper british mother (who raises the twin Annie as a proper Little Brit )-again, separated from the father that they want her reunited with after they bond at camp and find every need possible to put their family back together. Natasha has recently been described by Meryl Streep as the "Sun" in Her circle of Friends. There is no reflection here-Her warmth, talent and professionalism are just straight from the source. For real. Natasha is luminous, fabulous, funny and ingratiating. Just check out the part where she is in melt-down mode when.........LOL. Just watch the movie. I give it 2.5 out of 4 stars. This film is directed by Nancy Meyers, who also was one of the screenplay adaptors.

*Blogger's Note: There will be a special post Monday Reviewing a Bollywood Extravaganza thanks to "Kazzy" Burton. :-) Be sure to check in on that! ;-D