Naneaux

If you ever wondered what British music hall or American vaudeville was all about, this is a pretty good representation of the styles of humor and performance from those circles. The plot is so old, it creaks; jokes are corny and people break into song all the time, but everyone is so committed to what they're doing, you're completely entertained. You'll remember Arthur Askey's delivery of the line "I thank you" for a long time.

The vaudeville team of Forsythe, Seamon & Farrell get some nice showcasing here. While Charles Forsythe and Eleanor Farrell can sing and deliver a punchline, Addie Seamon plays "Peaches", a Gracie Allen ditz who can dance up a storm. You won't forget her.

Great fun for a Saturday afternoon.

If this is the best that Dermot Mulroney can do as a director, then I can safely say that I'll pass on any future projects to which he is attached. This is another "Pottery Barn/cashmere throw" style rom com a la Nancy Meyers (with his and hers convertibles!), but her scripts are superior. This one ranks with the worst offerings on Lifetime TV-- superficial, dull and directed in a lumbering style. The lead is miscast: Mandy Moore is unbelievable as a marital counselor with a Ph.D and a thriving private practice. She has no intellectual weight, no emotional maturity and delivers her lines like a high school girl. It gets old fast. I'm not a Jew but I was offended by the way Brolin's character tries to "explore" his spirituality by taking on all the trappings of that faith and nothing else. If this "subplot" was supposed to be funny, it really wasn't. (Compare the scene in "Annie Hall" when Woody Allen decides to become a Catholic and unpacks white bread and mayo from a grocery bag.) In order to get to the end (which I had to do because of my work), I entertained myself by ticking off how many times Jane Seymour dropped her American accent in the middle of sentences (47). This is a waste of 90 mins and you're better off watching something else.

After I watched this, my sleep was disturbed for several nights running. Much more interesting than any teen slasher pic you've seen, this descent into every parent's nightmare has a solid script, is full of top-notch acting from all the players, and the kind of psychological tension that makes you hold your breath. Add a big twist at the end and you've got an evening at the movies that you'll be talking about with your date for some time to come. I'd also like to say that the young Williams children, who play the roles of "Emily" and "Jack" are particularly effective.

This show is slated for airing on IFC soon, and I hope it gets the attention it deserves.