A heart warming piece of summer fare for those nostalgia buffs in the audience
BAFTA Film Award nominee director Richard Loncraine (“Richard III”) has scored a hit with this nostalgic look at motherhood and baby blue 1953 Cadillacs seen through the eyes of film personality George Hamilton.
When it comes to the tragic romance, Renée Zellweger has made millions with her on screen troubled love affairs. She returns to that formula in this film doubtlessly hoping to put the troubled past of former boondoggles such as “New in Town” behind her. In her smash hits such as “Cold Mountain,” “Chicago,” “Bridget Jones's Diary” and “Nurse Betty” she succeeded barely or not at all in getting her man but she succeeded in performances that enthralled millions. If she has determined that her best roles are as the leading lady who doesn’t get the man than this film is the logical next step. She may not get her ne’er-do-well band-leader hubbie Kevin Bacon back but she will get rave reviews for her lead in this film as Hamilton’s single mom in the 1950s.
George Hamilton’s mother Anne Deveraux embodied the qualities of the eternal optimist in legendary quantities. Her character in this film appears to be realistic and certainly reflects that part of Mr. Hamilton’s personality as well.
Logan Lerman plays young George Hamilton in a great piece of acting that fits in nicely behind Zellweger. Lerman not only has a strong resemblance to wonder-kind emerging young actor George Hamilton when he won his Golden Globe award for Most Promising Newcomer as a 20 year old in 1959 but he gives 19 year old Matthew Broderick a run for his money in his iconic 26 year old performance in “Biloxi Blues,” not to mention his fabulous 24 year-old performance in “Ferris Bueller's Day Off.”
Knee deep in mush may not be a favorite film viewing position for most people but those who fall for a good heart tugger will get their money’s worth out of “My One and Only.” As the name implies the film is a love story. It is mostly about the love of a teenage George Hamilton for his saint-like mother but it is also abut the love even dysfunctional family members have for each other. The story is true; it is based on six months or a year of Hamilton’s life after his mother and father broke up in the early 1950s.
This film will have wide appeal to audiences of both sexes and all ages although Zellweger will always appeal to men more than women. In fact, Kevin Bacon will always appeal to men more than women, too, especially in his anti-family role in this film. Thoughtless monster that his character is, Bacon still threatens to steal the film and is prevented from doing so only by his relatively short time on screen. The film will appeal to nostalgia buffs---older audiences with persons who were actually alive during those days of the huge tail fins and all. The baby blue Cadillac would be a completely unrealistic stereotype if it weren’t true. Yes, people actually bought and drove them.
George Hamilton’s love of his mother comes through loud and clear although her character is slanted towards the saint-like end of the scale. Nobody, especially no stage mom, is that good all the time. Even so, what do we care? It’s a great story and a good performance by RZ given the mushy good-old-days confines of the script. Thumbs up.
Directed by: Richard Loncraine
Starring: Renée Zellweger, Logan Lerman, Chris Noth and Kevin Bacon
Release: August 21, 2009
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