You Again

I have been, or can be if you click on a link and make a purchase, compensated via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value for writing this post. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

Most of the time, the boys are not too inclined to watch any movie that might be put into the ‘chick flick’ genre. However, they’d spent enough time chuckling over the commercials for You Again that they begged to watch it.

 

Seeing that it was rated PG, I figured it should be safe for all of them to see.  Thankfully, this was not one of those movies who’s content seemed to go against the rating.  The only things I can recall from the film were a little bit on the language end and more on the ‘inappropriate behavior’ when characters are trying to get the upper hand. (You can read a parental guide for You Again on IMBd for more specifics.)

 

The basic storyline is that successful PR executive, Marni, is going home to visit her family only to learn that her beloved older brother (Will) is getting to married to Joanna, her high school nemesis.  To Marni’s dismay, no one else (including her former tormentor, Joanna) seems to know about the connection.  Marni can’t just ‘let go’ of the hurt from her terrible high school years, even at the suggestion of her mother.

 

Adding to the mix is the introduction of the bride-to-be’s aunt who is the groom’s mother’s former best friend from school days.  Now both mother and daughter are acting in a manner that ends up bewildering the men in their lives.  And, the viewer soon learns that the other women DO remember it all ~ they just act like they don’t around the others.

 

Unlike the commercials might have suggested, You Again is not a movie with laughs at every turn. But, the comedic aspects do make a regular appearance. And, some scenes have a lot more irony than slapstick humor in them.

 

What struck me about this movie is how the more serious topics of jealousy and harboring anger are woven into the story.  If anything, You Again has put forth the notion that carrying around those emotions is common and easily tapped into when presented with someone from your past.  However, they also showed that there are times when  forgiveness and healing can happen.  You just have to let go of the negative emotions first!

 

You Again has a fantastic cast.  Kristen Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis,  Sigourney Weaver and Betty White all perform brilliantly in their roles.   The comedy was sometimes subtle and at other times bordering on slapstick.  If forced to pick, I’d have to admit that it is the scene at the end with Betty White and Cloris Leachman that was an absolute favorite.  Although, there’s another scene in the later half of the movie where the ‘crazed’ women are grounded that ranks pretty high, too.

 

I’m not sure if I’ll add it to our physical movie collection in the house, but if I do I’ll be going through Amazon to get it at a great price.

 

 

This post has been submitted for inclusion in The Christian Home carnival ( Issue 32) hosted HERE this week.

As the featured columnist for the Movies and Music category, you can be looking forward to weekly posts on what we are watching or music we’ve enjoyed. Feel free to leave suggestions for me as well that are family friendly or uplifting for adults.  While I have movies and some music selections in mind, I’m always on the lookout for other great choices.