Feeling the Holiday Hustle? The new movie 'Oh. What. Fun.' starring Michelle Pfeiffer, promises a Christmas comedy, but does it deliver? Let's dive in! This film seems to be missing the mark, leaving viewers wanting more.
Pfeiffer plays Claire, a mom teetering on the edge during the holiday season. Her grown children, played by Felicity Jones, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Dominic Sessa, don't seem to appreciate her efforts. Her husband, portrayed by Denis Leary, offers support, but it's not always helpful. Claire is juggling everything—cooking, cleaning, wrapping gifts—all while trying to create a cozy, happy Christmas. She even manages to look fabulous on countless garbage runs. But after a family oversight, she decides to escape her suburban life and do something for herself.
Despite a promising setup and a talented cast, including Danielle Brooks, Joan Chen, Maude Apatow, Rose Abdoo, and Eva Longoria, the movie takes a generic approach.
The film opens with a scene where Claire, at a gas station, tells some children to be kinder to their exhausted mother. 'She'll be dead someday,' she says calmly. Then, we get a freeze-frame, a record scratch, and a voiceover about holiday outbursts. The movie already has Claire apologizing.
Claire wants a movie about the true heroes of the holidays: Moms. However, the film's exclusions are suspect. The director, Michael Showalter, co-wrote the script with Chandler Baker. He aims for a light and breezy tone, but the film seems embarrassed to commit to its premise, rushing through scenes instead of letting us enjoy the cast.
Channing (Jones) is married to Doug (Jason Schwartzman), who wants to be cool in the eyes of Taylor (Moretz). Sessa is the youngest, underemployed and recently dumped. There are also two grandchildren, but they're not central to the story.
Claire's Christmas wish is for her family to enter her in a contest to meet Zazzy Tims (Longoria). When she realizes everyone has gone to an event she planned without her, she decides to drive to Burbank and crash the Zazzy Tims show.
Showalter attempts to turn this road trip into a 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' journey, but it doesn't fully commit. The film barely uses performers like Schwartzman and Chen.
But here's where it gets controversial... 'Oh. What. Fun.' seems to have tapped into the cinematic zeitgeist. On-screen mothers are not just on the edge, they're in complete freefall.
The movie is rated PG-13 and has a running time of 106 minutes. It gets two stars out of four.
What do you think? Does 'Oh. What. Fun.' capture the true spirit of the holidays for moms, or does it fall short? Share your thoughts in the comments!
