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Predictability highlights “Because I Said So“
Keaton shines, but Mandy could have provided Moore
By Rose Davis
Mandy Moore plays a variation of the role she always seems to play, and sheâ??s got the part down. Her singing isnâ??t really necessary, it seems it was put in just to remind us that, yes, she can really sing.
As I left the theater after this movie, one question came to mind: Is it required that Mandy Moore sing in all her films?
Mandy, we know you“ve had a fairly successful music career, so could you leave the singing out, just this once?
Apparently not.
“Because I Said So” stars Diane Keaton as Daphne Wilder, the controlling mother of three daughters. Milly (Moore) is the youngest and the last left to marry. Unfortunately, she can never seem to find the right guy. Daphne doesn“t think Milly can handle the task of finding someone on her own, so she decides to find Mr. Right for her.
Daphne posts a personal ad online, hoping the “perfect guy” will answer. This, of course, leads to chaos. But through it all Milly, and Daphne as well, learn that motherly love, although sometimes overbearing and frustrating, can bring out the best in the end.
The film is your typical wacky comedy about the independent, unlucky-in-love daughter and the mother who thinks she knows what“s best for her. It has its comedic moments, but more often I cringed instead of smiling. The corny slapstick just didn“t quite do it for me.
In spite of this, Keaton does a great job in her role as Daphne Wilder. She plays Daphne with spunk and love that most mothers could easily relate to. She shows the strengths and weaknesses of her character, and despite the cheesy punch lines, she plays the part well.
Mandy Moore plays a variation of the role she always seems to play, and she“s got the part down. Her singing isn“t really necessary, it seems it was put in just to remind us that, yes, she can really sing.
Personally, I feel it“s time for Moore to broaden her horizons. This film, however, doesn“t allow her to do so. Perhaps it“s because a film like that wouldn“t have a need for singing.
The male roles are Johnny (Gabriel Macht) and Jason (Tom Everett Scott). Macht fills the stereotype of the laidback single father and Scott as the classy, well-educated architect. Neither of them shine, but both are easy for the audience to love.
Another key male actor in the film is Stephen Collins, who plays Johnny“s father. He is involved in a couple surprising, or possibly disturbing, scenes where (spoiler alert) he and Daphne are caught in, let“s just say, a rather awkward position.
All in all, this film is as predictable as they come. There were some enjoyable moments, but there were others making you think, “Damn it, there are so many other ways I could“ve spent my $9!”
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