Director: Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini
Is anyone else suffering from Scarlett Johansson overdose? I've had just about as much as I can take of this pouty-lipped girl next door. Her best piece of acting was scratching her butt in the opening scene of "Lost in Translation" but it's been all downhill from there.
Johansson is back again, this time with a cute little flick aimed squarely at post-college American kids who are suffering from career and identity crises.
After bombing out of a job interview with an investment bank, Annie (Johansson) is randomly offered a job as a nanny with a snobby old-money family in a plush apartment on Fifth Avenue, New York. Seriously, can screenwriters please get over this city already?
Her employer is the anonymously named Mrs X, played by a catty Laura Linney. They must have picked Linney up straight from the casting call for "The Devil Wears Prada." Her character is a carbon copy of Meryl Streep's powertrip rich woman who lives on a different planet. (Ironically, there's a scene in "The Nanny Diaries" where a character can be seen reading the "...Prada" novel.)
Annie is ushered into the blue blood world of the upper class as she becomes de facto mum to young Greyer, a spoiled boy who has had his name on college waiting lists since kindergarten. Greyer wants for nothing in life, except the love and affection of his distant corporate father Mr X, played by Paul Giamatti (talk about typecasting - Giamatti must be sick of playing the grouch).
The demands of the job are only part of Annie's worries as she also attempts to deceive her worrying mother about the true nature of her employment. The only light on her horizon is a charming Ivy League graduate known as Harvard Hottie (Chris Evans), although Annie is wary of becoming involved with someone way above her social stratum.
The film fails to meaningfully criticize America's new class divide and instead goes for cheap and stereotypical shots at rich folk - and let's face it, they're easy targets.
It also fails to offer any real moral or message to those undecided college graduates who are looking for direction apart from "don't become a nanny."
One highlight in the film is an appearance by singer Alicia Keys who has a small role as Annie's friend Lynette. Keys is natural and charming and it would be great to see her tackle more substantial parts.
Opens in Estonia Oct. 12. Now showing in Latvia and Lithuania
