Model agent extraordinaire Helen Harris (Kate Hudson) has a
thriving career and social life until her oldest sister and her
husband are killed. Helen is shocked when she learns that her
sister’s three children have been left in her care. Their presence
in her life changes everything. As she enrolls them in school and
gets a new job, she meets the school’s principal Pastor Dan (John
Corbett), and a love connection develops. Helen finds mothering
too hard, though, and problems have her considering whether her
other sister Jenny (Joan Cusack) should have the children.
CRITIQUE
Garry Marshall
is a director firmly ensconced in mainstream Hollywood,
both in material and technique. While a film like Pretty Woman
is perfect in his hands, Raising Helen takes on a feeling of
cheerful clichés, and despite Kate Hudson’s solid performance, the
film is mostly forgettable.
Family warmth and a bit of humor is achieved throughout the film
but these two elements are not enough to raise the film above average
comedy. In fact, there isn’t much originality here. Is there any doubt
that Helen will have a hard time, but then fights to keep the kids? Of
course not. Also, the romance subplot is not that well done, though
the moments it provides are enjoyable enough. Much of the comedy in
Helen’s fashion career falls flat, but her used car lot job does
prompt laughs. At other points, such as when Helen’s new neighbor
breaks up a party with a baseball bat, and the moment Joan Cusack
tells off a boy who helped the oldest child Audrey (Hayden Panettiere)
deceive Helen, some laughs come up, but they aren’t frequent enough.
Speaking of Audrey, this fifteen-year-old is the least
characterized in the film. She is the cliché teen who wants to do
stupid things and gives attitude to adults. At one point, she actually
says, “You just ruined my life.” No attempt is made to do something
different here.
Marshall doesn’t do anything spectacular here, either. The production
values are all good but typical, as is the camera work.
Kate Hudson is a capable actress and she is a big part of why the
film isn’t bad. Cusack is really good as the sister who some will find
stodgy because she is always responsible. She really shows value in
integrity. John Corbett just has an appealing presence despite playing
an underwritten character.
THE VIDEO
This film is presented in widescreen, as always enhanced for 16x9
TV sets. It preserves the original theatrical presentation well.
Picture quality looks just fine; there are no major issues, only minor
ones.
THE AUDIO
Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound delivers the adequate audio track
for this disc. French and Spanish subtitles and a French audio track
are available.
THE EXTRAS
Audio Commentary: A commentary track with director Marshall and
three of the writers involved with the film is mildly interesting. All
the behind the scenes information is fun to know and they have okay
camaraderie. I liked getting a writer’s perspective but it feels a bit
forced at times, and one of the writer’s makes a slightly
inappropriate comment about actress Hayden Panettiere. Overall, a fine
extra.
Bloopers from the Set:
A short outtakes reel provides some of the mistakes actors made and
the laughs they had. Some of them are genuinely funny but this is
basically filler.
Deleted Scenes: Director Marshall introduces six excised
scenes, explaining why they ended up on the cutting room floor. The
cuts were made mostly to keep the story going, and while some of the
scenes are funny you really don’t miss them.
Music
Video:
Liz Phair sings “Extraordinary” in this feature. Again, its pretty
much filler material.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Raising
Helen
is a viewing experience that is fun but not much more than that, it
kind of feels like a comedy on autopilot. The extras on the disc are
not very impressive. The DVD provides decent entertainment at best,
but you could also skip it without regret.
