Delayed Reaction: Monster-in-Law

The Pitch: Jennifer Lopez goes toe-to-toe with the mother of her fiance played by - who - Jane Fonda? - Really? - I don't need to read a screenplay. Greenlight this movie.

How I Came Into It: I don't particularly like Jennifer Lopez although I've found her RomComs to be very watchable. I don't have the right viewing history to know why, but I am at least aware that Jane Fonda was a big "get" for this movie. I was expecting Maid in Manhattan-level entertainment.

Why I Saw It: (Club 50) Jane Fonda is solid, despite playing a familiar character type. Lopez gets to take charge of her character a lot more than the previews suggest (I was prepared for her to mostly be a Fonda punching bag). Wanda Sykes, as is her specialty, shakes things up by bringing it her Wanda Sykes-ness to it all.

Why I Wish I Hadn't: God, people were really into laying into Jennifer Lopez when this came out, weren't they? A couple years removed from Gigli, she still didn't get all the Ben Affleck off of her and rode this to a Razzie nomination. This isn't Razzie-bad. Nothing ever is. The award is more about where public ridicule is swaying at the time rather than finding the actual worst thing. Don't confuse this with an endorsement though. The movie isn't funny, clever, or well acted. It's just not unwatchable. When I say that this isn't even my favorite Jennifer Lopez RomCom, I want you to stop and think about the severity of that indictment.

Verdict (?): Weakly Don't Recommend