Mother Knows Best

A friend had seen this flick a while back and recommended it, and I happened to see it listed for a rerun on "Lifetime" today.

Glanced at the prior comments here, and after viewing this opus, would agree with their positive viewpoints.

Joanna Kerns' evil mom was as delightfully and completely selfish, obsessive and wicked a character as one is likely to encounter. "Mother-in-law-from-Hell" is almost too mild an adjective. Glenn Close in "Fatal Attraction," and Jack Nicholson in "As Good As It Gets" could qualify to become trainees as mental health workers, comparing their problems relative to Joanna's personality disorders.

Sonny Corleone would exert more deliberation and examination of possible alternatives, before ordering somebody whacked, than this overbearing mother did in engaging a hit man.

However, overall, this was a relatively "quiet" flick, given the nature of the story and plot. I found this appealing, and there was little yelling, and no raucous knife-wielding climax, common to so many "Lifetime" offerings. This made it a better viewing, and the Kerns' character was all the better for her steady, unfailing, almost low-key way by which she portrayed her evil character's persona.

A worthwhile two hours' entertainment.

So I caught this movie today on Lifetime, on a rainy Saturday morning. For once, I'm grateful for the bad weather! When I saw the title "Mother Knows Best", with Joanna Kerns no less, I figured it would be some Lifetime movie about a mother taking off her apron and having to deal with obnoxious bratty children. Boy, was I in for a surprise.

Celeste Cooper is my idol! Joanna Kerns did an excellent job shedding her "everywoman" image. I was laughing out loud as soon as she placed the ad in her daughter's name. Grant Show and Christine Elise have some chemistry but I found their characters to be stale. Kerns steals the show here, that's for sure! It's funny how the only Lifetime movies that I like are always on at 11am on Saturdays. And those are the Lifetime movies that still run on the channel.

Viewing this was probably the most enjoyable two hours of my life.

I saw this a while back on Channel Five, and couldn't wait to get a copy, but sadly it's not been released on DVD or VHS, so I've hit a dead end. However, next time it's shown, I'll be sure to tape it! It's about a dominating mother who answers an advert in the paper from a boy who wants to find a date, and makes her daughter go out with him. What she doesn't know is that he's got a poor job (by her standards) and so, she sets out to split the two up, leading to inexplicable consequences.

Honestly, if you ever get the chance, give this one a look. You won't be disappointed.

This is one of my favorite Lifetime movies! I would highly recommend it, if you like suspense thrillers. Christine Elise (Emily from 90210) and Grant Show (Jake from Melrose Place) both star in this movie and they are both excellent in it, as is the mother (I forget her real name). This movie has an excellent twist as well! A must-see!

We open with the statement, "Although fictionalized, the following dramatization was inspired by actual events." The credits run over some forthcoming scenes, which seem to give away too much of the plot, but really make up for some lack of action during the early running (and give up nothing important). Until the drama picks up excitement, you can revel in the somewhat psychotic performance of perfect mother Joanna Kerns (as Celeste). A wealthy and socialite, Ms. Kerns has just won a "Woman of the Year" award for her charitable and charming good will. She worries about her desirable daughter's lack of manly attention, and places a "personal ad" for pretty blonde Christine Elise (as Laurel Cooper)...

At first Ms. Elise thinks her mother's idea will match her up with a "serial killer," but she goes out on a blind date with the respondent anyway. Elise is thrilled when the man turns out to be handsome entrepreneur Grant Show (as Ted Rogers). Coincidently, Mr. Show reveals his mother encouraged him to answer the personal ad. Elise and Show hit romance head on, and plan to marry. But, mother Kerns has decided Show is unfit for her daughter. He has his own business, but is an automobile mechanic. So, Kerns decides she must break up the young couple, by hook or by crook...

If this really happened, as revealed in the opening and closing, more than a little dramatic license must have been taken. It doesn't matter as this is one of the most fun (and suspenseful) TV movies from the "Lifetime" production team. Everyone is as perfect as Kerns' décor, with hired gunman Sherman Augustus (as Dick Cutler) and soundtrack contributor Patrick Williams standing out. Especially stick with it for Kerns' indignant comeuppance.

******* Mother Knows Best (4/12/97) Larry Shaw ~ Joanna Kerns, Christine Elise, Grant Show, Sherman Augustus