This film pales in comparison to the first one in every way. That being said, it wasn't a waste of my time. My money, probably, but not my time.
Though it has been nearly twenty years since the wedding of Greek Toula (Nia Vardalos) to the WASP, Ian (John Corbett), things haven't changed much. Toula's father, Gus (Michael Constantine) still likes proving that everyone is Greek and how each word comes from a Greek word and believes that Windex can cure all. Now, his hip is bothering him and he's convinced that he's directly descended from Alexander the Great. But while looking up his family history, digging into the old papers, he discovers that his decades old marriage certificate was never signed. Oops. His wife, Maria (Lainie Kazan) is not thrilled. This time around, she wants a proper proposal. Their son (Louis Mandyor) is also a great man of words, he told his wife that he wanted to put a baby in her. Yikes.
Then there is Toula's daughter, Paris (Elena Kampouris), who wants to go to college and do something in her free time other than work at the restaurant. Oh yeah, Toula's travel agency went out of business thanks to the troubled economy. While Toula's parents want Paris to get a good Greek boyfriend, Toula and Ian want her to pick a good college close to home.
The film doesn't have a coherent plot as the first one did, this one struggling with two far weaker plot lines. The remarriage of Gus and Maria and Paris attempting to find her own way in the world. They give far less time to the second plot and it deserved far more, especially since it was the more interesting of the two. Especially since she eventually does get a boyfriend, Bennett (Alex Wolff) who happens to be Greek, but she didn't know that when she asked him out to prom, though that meant missing her grandparents wedding.
The wedding does happen, though Maria did have to scale back her big, fancy dream wedding. Though Gus's long lost brother from Greece arrives and the two drink far more than they should have. Maria does struggle, knowing now how many more opportunities women have now that they didn't have back then. But she still goes through with the wedding and then they party and have a great time. All is right in the world.
In this film, the supporting characters are still great, with the grandma (Bess Meisler, still alive) getting some great parts, like dancing in the streets wearing pajamas, but she urges young Paris to remain true to herself, and go to the college in New York, which she does. A cameo by John Stamos is completely wasted. But Angelo's (Joey Fatone's) sexuality is handled with grace and realism. His parents aren't surprised though they are upset that he didn't tell them earlier and then they overwhelm his personal and business partner.
I'm just glad that this film was enjoyable with the funniest scene being when Gus falls over in the bath tub and Maria calls the family to come and help and they run from their too close houses to help, though Toula still has to call 911.
The performances are still pretty good but the material just isn't as good as the first time around with Vardolas pulling at threads to get a film about the characters again. I will watch this film again, but not nearly as often as the first film. Grade: C+
Monday, March 28, 2016
Thursday, March 24, 2016
What You Left Behind by Jessica Verdi
While I don't review books that often, I am making an exception.
This book is told from the point of view of Ryden Brooks who has not had an easy life. His father ditched his young mother the moment she told him that she was pregnant and then his girlfriend died far too young of cancer, leaving behind their infant daughter. Yes, poor Ryden is now also a teenage father, his future hanging precariously in the balance. Meg, his late girlfriend, had everything all planned out. She wrote letters, journals actually, for her younger sister, best friend and boyfriend to find, leaving behind a string of secrets only to be uncovered after her untimely death. Now, while Ryden firmly blames himself for killing Meg. She became pregnant and then didn't go back for more chemotherapy so she could have the baby, letting her body waste away so she was never able to recover, I suspected strongly from early on that she got pregnant on purpose. And I was right. She did get pregnant on purpose, knowing, despite all her lies, that this melanoma was going to kill her and she wanted to leave something behind. Now, while I don't blame her at all, she should have known that her parents weren't supportive. In fact, they don't see baby Hope (ironic name and all) or pay for her care even though they have more money than Ryden's mother. Only Meg's sister, Mabel, cares at all about the baby. And despite all of Ryden's pleas for Meg to have an abortion, he is still raising the healthy baby, untouched for her mother's many health problems. He thought that raising her would be the right thing over putting her up for adoption. And while he's doing a pretty good job, he doesn't understand how precious and how much of a miracle she is and he focuses tons more on his own life, getting into UCLA to play soccer, another dream which blows up in his face as with all of his responsibilities, including school and work, plus the baby and her constant care, he is late to several practices and his coach isn't sympathetic to his special case. While I understand that, I am glad that at least his history teacher understands. This kid does need a bigger and better support system than he has. On the other hand, Ryden takes advantage of Meg's best friend, Alan, who offers to take care of Hope while he has soccer practice and he meets this new girl at work, Joni. Joni goes to a different school and doesn't know about his devastating past and he wants to keep it that way. Oh yeah, and you would think he would have learned not to have sex too soon after what happened with Meg, but they have sex far too soon in that relationship also, but at least this time, Ryden uses a condom. Thank God. So Ryden is far too much of a teenager than his situation allows.
Okay, though I literally could not put this book down, I do have issues with it. Not really the writing style, which remains fluid throughout, and she has a different voice for the many journal entries of Meg, but with the ethics of the characters in this book. Honestly, Hope might have been better off with a loving couple who longed for a baby, not a too young father who wanted her aborted. And Meg's parents remain off stage but they are just the worst, not even attempting to understand what was behind her life-ending decision. Her father just sucks away at bottle after bottle of wine.
The book also has a lot going on, such as Ryden's battle to decide whether he wants to find his dad, his struggles with Hope, his new relationship with the zany Joni, and his soccer. In the end, Meg found his dad and though he was ready, literally in the car, to find his dad, he changes his mind, knowing that he doesn't need to meet his dad to be a good father, that he's already there, which is a slight stretch, but whatever. I also hated the flashback from Meg, where she mentions that she was so obsessed with Ryden that she ignored her body's signals that she was getting sick, that was just far too much and ridiculous. Ryden didn't even know who she was at the time.
All of that being said, I can still see something similar to this happening in real life. As I've already said, I would seriously consider this, but I'm lucky, my parents might not be supportive but they would understand never turn their back on my child. Little Hope was not that lucky.
This book is as Ryden says, deals with the crappiest of crap situations and that is the truth, everyone does lose, only some lose much more than others. Grade: B+
This book is told from the point of view of Ryden Brooks who has not had an easy life. His father ditched his young mother the moment she told him that she was pregnant and then his girlfriend died far too young of cancer, leaving behind their infant daughter. Yes, poor Ryden is now also a teenage father, his future hanging precariously in the balance. Meg, his late girlfriend, had everything all planned out. She wrote letters, journals actually, for her younger sister, best friend and boyfriend to find, leaving behind a string of secrets only to be uncovered after her untimely death. Now, while Ryden firmly blames himself for killing Meg. She became pregnant and then didn't go back for more chemotherapy so she could have the baby, letting her body waste away so she was never able to recover, I suspected strongly from early on that she got pregnant on purpose. And I was right. She did get pregnant on purpose, knowing, despite all her lies, that this melanoma was going to kill her and she wanted to leave something behind. Now, while I don't blame her at all, she should have known that her parents weren't supportive. In fact, they don't see baby Hope (ironic name and all) or pay for her care even though they have more money than Ryden's mother. Only Meg's sister, Mabel, cares at all about the baby. And despite all of Ryden's pleas for Meg to have an abortion, he is still raising the healthy baby, untouched for her mother's many health problems. He thought that raising her would be the right thing over putting her up for adoption. And while he's doing a pretty good job, he doesn't understand how precious and how much of a miracle she is and he focuses tons more on his own life, getting into UCLA to play soccer, another dream which blows up in his face as with all of his responsibilities, including school and work, plus the baby and her constant care, he is late to several practices and his coach isn't sympathetic to his special case. While I understand that, I am glad that at least his history teacher understands. This kid does need a bigger and better support system than he has. On the other hand, Ryden takes advantage of Meg's best friend, Alan, who offers to take care of Hope while he has soccer practice and he meets this new girl at work, Joni. Joni goes to a different school and doesn't know about his devastating past and he wants to keep it that way. Oh yeah, and you would think he would have learned not to have sex too soon after what happened with Meg, but they have sex far too soon in that relationship also, but at least this time, Ryden uses a condom. Thank God. So Ryden is far too much of a teenager than his situation allows.
Okay, though I literally could not put this book down, I do have issues with it. Not really the writing style, which remains fluid throughout, and she has a different voice for the many journal entries of Meg, but with the ethics of the characters in this book. Honestly, Hope might have been better off with a loving couple who longed for a baby, not a too young father who wanted her aborted. And Meg's parents remain off stage but they are just the worst, not even attempting to understand what was behind her life-ending decision. Her father just sucks away at bottle after bottle of wine.
The book also has a lot going on, such as Ryden's battle to decide whether he wants to find his dad, his struggles with Hope, his new relationship with the zany Joni, and his soccer. In the end, Meg found his dad and though he was ready, literally in the car, to find his dad, he changes his mind, knowing that he doesn't need to meet his dad to be a good father, that he's already there, which is a slight stretch, but whatever. I also hated the flashback from Meg, where she mentions that she was so obsessed with Ryden that she ignored her body's signals that she was getting sick, that was just far too much and ridiculous. Ryden didn't even know who she was at the time.
All of that being said, I can still see something similar to this happening in real life. As I've already said, I would seriously consider this, but I'm lucky, my parents might not be supportive but they would understand never turn their back on my child. Little Hope was not that lucky.
This book is as Ryden says, deals with the crappiest of crap situations and that is the truth, everyone does lose, only some lose much more than others. Grade: B+
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
The Middle: A Very Donahue Vacation
Mammoth Mouth, Kentucky, this is Mike's (Neil Flynn's) big idea for a vacation over Spring Break. A big order was just placed for the diapers, so for the first time ever, the Hecks have a little extra money and they want to spend it that way. Okay not really, but they go along with it and Frankie (Patricia Heaton) asks the Donahues to come along. Which only sort of goes well.
Nancy (Jen Ray) is worried about Sean (Beau Wirick) and the fact that he's throwing his future away because he won't take the MCATs (aka, the test you need to take to apply to Med schools), so she persuades Frankie to talk to him, which Frankie eventually gets around to. Sean responds more to her lazy parenting, though she claims that it is a choice and later vents to Mike about how much better a parent she is over Nancy. But the Donahue daughter overhears this and that isn't good. She uses good old-fashioned blackmail to try and get even with Frankie. First, a fruitless game of Marco Polo and then, they must switch rooms. But Frankie is desperate for Nancy not to find out her true opinion of Nancy's parenting. Unfortunately, her best efforts are in vain. Nancy has overheard and though she is mad, it doesn't last because she declares that they are like sisters and she can't stay mad at her sister. Nevertheless, she has no problem with nudging Frankie into the pool and that doesn't even make Frankie mad. It just makes her believe that Nancy is human. Oh, and I guess Sean is going to take that test, because Frankie does say that he should take it just so he won't have any regrets later in life.
In the meantime, Axl (Charlie McDermott) needs a jerk so he can pick up women and Sean just isn't interested in the deception thing so Brick (Atticus Shaffer) is up. This does work, at first, only then, Brick gets lucky or decides to stop being a jerk. He finds another fan of Planet Nowhere, leaving Axl out in the dust. Axl is upset that he is going through a funk with girls, despite Brick trying to tell him that Axl is fine on his own. Axl certainly wants to tell his friends at college that he had a good spring break and hung out with someone other than his family. Fortunately, the one waitress overhears that Axl goes to East Indiana State and she tells him that her cousin goes there. Axl doesn't know her cousin but boy, she has fun with Axl trying to guess who that is.
Sue (Eden Sher) doesn't have much to do but it is important. She gets a call from Brad and the two have a good opportunity for a summer job lined up. They will both be working at Dollyworld down in Tennessee. Brad will be a performer, something he was born to do while Sue will be a hostess at Grandma's restaurant. They have condos for the employees to stay in and she will be earning twice as much money as she made at Spudsys. She is thrilled. Mike, on the other hand, is less so. It's too far away and he doesn't know the people. He expresses this and Sue isn't upset or anything like that. Instead, she just politely and maturely tells him that she isn't asking, she's telling. Frankie, for a change, isn't upset. She is glad that Sue is willing to spread her wings without being pushed. Sue is finally growing up and making her own decisions. Mike finally accepts that his little girl is growing up, though he still thinks that she is only eighteen, not nineteen. And Sue is grown up, looking very mature in her red-halter top dress that she wears for the finale dance scene.
While I don't like Frankie criticizing someone's else parenting, especially when hers is lackluster, it was still a good plot line and gave the regular guest star, Jen Ray, a chance to truly shine and she is great in her role. Sue's plot line was the most important though it, ironically, got the least amount of screen time. She was mature and graceful, traits we rarely see from her but, boy, was it welcome. That job will hopefully open up great things for her. And Axl was truly affected by the break-up with Devin and though I'm glad that he does have feelings, I'm also glad that he is trying to bounce back. And he doesn't need any help to do that. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Mike is the only one who enjoys the cave and the cannon, the typical vacation stuff. He is thrilled when the tour guide turns the light off in the cave and it is completely dark. Mike just says "Cool."
-There is also a rock which looks like a buffalo. Which Sue likes.
-Mike doesn't want to let Ron Donahue (Sean O'Bryan) drive because he is a man thing, but Mike's manhood is leaking fluid in the driveway and AAA won't come for them anymore.
-Sean isn't fond of his possessions because you don't own them, they own you.
-Nancy may have made a popcorn ball for each person, but Frankie ate most of them and didn't even feel guilty.
-Nancy also talked to Brick about his mystery ailment, something which Frankie didn't even notice. Nancy said it was because he was nervous about starting high school but that he was making a conscious effort to stop it.
-When Frankie does go to talk to Sean, she mentions that she has no clue where her three children are and Sean gets it, regretting the over concern of his own mother.
-Sue wants to eat a huge omelet in an hour because if she finishes it in an hour, then she gets a pin. I don't think she succeeded.
-Axl does hit on a girl successfully, but as it turns out, she has a boyfriend in the Army and Axl just can't do that to the troops.
-I wonder what happened to Doris, is she still even alive?
Nancy (Jen Ray) is worried about Sean (Beau Wirick) and the fact that he's throwing his future away because he won't take the MCATs (aka, the test you need to take to apply to Med schools), so she persuades Frankie to talk to him, which Frankie eventually gets around to. Sean responds more to her lazy parenting, though she claims that it is a choice and later vents to Mike about how much better a parent she is over Nancy. But the Donahue daughter overhears this and that isn't good. She uses good old-fashioned blackmail to try and get even with Frankie. First, a fruitless game of Marco Polo and then, they must switch rooms. But Frankie is desperate for Nancy not to find out her true opinion of Nancy's parenting. Unfortunately, her best efforts are in vain. Nancy has overheard and though she is mad, it doesn't last because she declares that they are like sisters and she can't stay mad at her sister. Nevertheless, she has no problem with nudging Frankie into the pool and that doesn't even make Frankie mad. It just makes her believe that Nancy is human. Oh, and I guess Sean is going to take that test, because Frankie does say that he should take it just so he won't have any regrets later in life.
In the meantime, Axl (Charlie McDermott) needs a jerk so he can pick up women and Sean just isn't interested in the deception thing so Brick (Atticus Shaffer) is up. This does work, at first, only then, Brick gets lucky or decides to stop being a jerk. He finds another fan of Planet Nowhere, leaving Axl out in the dust. Axl is upset that he is going through a funk with girls, despite Brick trying to tell him that Axl is fine on his own. Axl certainly wants to tell his friends at college that he had a good spring break and hung out with someone other than his family. Fortunately, the one waitress overhears that Axl goes to East Indiana State and she tells him that her cousin goes there. Axl doesn't know her cousin but boy, she has fun with Axl trying to guess who that is.
Sue (Eden Sher) doesn't have much to do but it is important. She gets a call from Brad and the two have a good opportunity for a summer job lined up. They will both be working at Dollyworld down in Tennessee. Brad will be a performer, something he was born to do while Sue will be a hostess at Grandma's restaurant. They have condos for the employees to stay in and she will be earning twice as much money as she made at Spudsys. She is thrilled. Mike, on the other hand, is less so. It's too far away and he doesn't know the people. He expresses this and Sue isn't upset or anything like that. Instead, she just politely and maturely tells him that she isn't asking, she's telling. Frankie, for a change, isn't upset. She is glad that Sue is willing to spread her wings without being pushed. Sue is finally growing up and making her own decisions. Mike finally accepts that his little girl is growing up, though he still thinks that she is only eighteen, not nineteen. And Sue is grown up, looking very mature in her red-halter top dress that she wears for the finale dance scene.
While I don't like Frankie criticizing someone's else parenting, especially when hers is lackluster, it was still a good plot line and gave the regular guest star, Jen Ray, a chance to truly shine and she is great in her role. Sue's plot line was the most important though it, ironically, got the least amount of screen time. She was mature and graceful, traits we rarely see from her but, boy, was it welcome. That job will hopefully open up great things for her. And Axl was truly affected by the break-up with Devin and though I'm glad that he does have feelings, I'm also glad that he is trying to bounce back. And he doesn't need any help to do that. Grade: A-
Side Notes:
-Mike is the only one who enjoys the cave and the cannon, the typical vacation stuff. He is thrilled when the tour guide turns the light off in the cave and it is completely dark. Mike just says "Cool."
-There is also a rock which looks like a buffalo. Which Sue likes.
-Mike doesn't want to let Ron Donahue (Sean O'Bryan) drive because he is a man thing, but Mike's manhood is leaking fluid in the driveway and AAA won't come for them anymore.
-Sean isn't fond of his possessions because you don't own them, they own you.
-Nancy may have made a popcorn ball for each person, but Frankie ate most of them and didn't even feel guilty.
-Nancy also talked to Brick about his mystery ailment, something which Frankie didn't even notice. Nancy said it was because he was nervous about starting high school but that he was making a conscious effort to stop it.
-When Frankie does go to talk to Sean, she mentions that she has no clue where her three children are and Sean gets it, regretting the over concern of his own mother.
-Sue wants to eat a huge omelet in an hour because if she finishes it in an hour, then she gets a pin. I don't think she succeeded.
-Axl does hit on a girl successfully, but as it turns out, she has a boyfriend in the Army and Axl just can't do that to the troops.
-I wonder what happened to Doris, is she still even alive?
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Trainwreck (2015)
Amy Townsend (Amy Schumer) is sort of a wreck. She drinks too much, enjoys the occassional recreational use of pot and can't stay in a relationship. Part of that is how she was raised. Though her father (Colin Quinn) loved her and must have been a good father for both of his daughters to care so much, he also taught her that being with only one person is completely unrealistic. Amy has kept those words to heart while her younger sister, Kim (Brie Larson) is happily married with a stepson who calls her Mother. It is a little weird.
Steven (John Cena) is sort of her boyfriend, but she's not exclusive and can't believe that he is. They break up. He's the guy she sees movies with, though, if that is any consolation prize.
She doesn't meet a great guy of any kind until her boss, Dianna (Tilda Swilton, unsympathetic and nasty) gives her Bryson's (Randall Park's) pitch, doing a story on a sports doctor, Aaron Conners (Bill Hader, great) and they go out for dinner and she worms her way into his apartment. But, as is her style, after the sex, she wants to leave, however, he does not. She does stay, albeit reluctantly and doesn't regret it. Nevertheless, she is shocked when he calls her back so soon, and on purpose.
Despite the odds, they form a relationship and remain together through her father's death, which devastates her. It isn't until she takes a call from her boss during Aaron's acceptance speech, when he is given an award for his hard work with Doctors Without Borders. Needless to say, a fight ensues and she is willing to walk away, just as she has done when things get hard while he wants to work it out though that also turns out to be a bad plan. She keeps him up all night, which means he can't do surgery the next morning. It isn't until then when he also realizes that he needs break.
In the meantime, Amy's life really starts falling apart. She nearly sleeps with the magazine's intern, Donald (Erza Miller) who is underage. Side Note: It is the most awkward sex scene ever and she should have walked away when she had the chance, but she doesn't.
Though she was in line to be editor, Dianna fires her and who can blame her. But she mends the fences with her sister and finally actually doesn't fake like her nephew.
As Dianna cut Aaron's story from that magazine, Amy shops it around and it is told. Dianna was right, she is a great writer. It is picked up and then Amy does her big move to get the guy back. Even though she is horribly out of shape, and hates the dancers for the New York Knicks, she dances with them and it works. She gets Aaron back. She's willing to try for a real relationship. And so is he.
Though the concept is a simple and overdone one, someone doesn't want a long-term, real relationship until they meet the person they are meant for and then, all there old ways go out the window, this one does seem fresh with some good performances. If the acting wasn't that good, the film wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable. And even the athletes perform, with LeBron James being a stand-out. He could truly win a staring contest with anyone.
There are also some truly funny parts, which a comedy undeniably needs. This is a film that I will gladly watch again. Grade: B+
Steven (John Cena) is sort of her boyfriend, but she's not exclusive and can't believe that he is. They break up. He's the guy she sees movies with, though, if that is any consolation prize.
She doesn't meet a great guy of any kind until her boss, Dianna (Tilda Swilton, unsympathetic and nasty) gives her Bryson's (Randall Park's) pitch, doing a story on a sports doctor, Aaron Conners (Bill Hader, great) and they go out for dinner and she worms her way into his apartment. But, as is her style, after the sex, she wants to leave, however, he does not. She does stay, albeit reluctantly and doesn't regret it. Nevertheless, she is shocked when he calls her back so soon, and on purpose.
Despite the odds, they form a relationship and remain together through her father's death, which devastates her. It isn't until she takes a call from her boss during Aaron's acceptance speech, when he is given an award for his hard work with Doctors Without Borders. Needless to say, a fight ensues and she is willing to walk away, just as she has done when things get hard while he wants to work it out though that also turns out to be a bad plan. She keeps him up all night, which means he can't do surgery the next morning. It isn't until then when he also realizes that he needs break.
In the meantime, Amy's life really starts falling apart. She nearly sleeps with the magazine's intern, Donald (Erza Miller) who is underage. Side Note: It is the most awkward sex scene ever and she should have walked away when she had the chance, but she doesn't.
Though she was in line to be editor, Dianna fires her and who can blame her. But she mends the fences with her sister and finally actually doesn't fake like her nephew.
As Dianna cut Aaron's story from that magazine, Amy shops it around and it is told. Dianna was right, she is a great writer. It is picked up and then Amy does her big move to get the guy back. Even though she is horribly out of shape, and hates the dancers for the New York Knicks, she dances with them and it works. She gets Aaron back. She's willing to try for a real relationship. And so is he.
Though the concept is a simple and overdone one, someone doesn't want a long-term, real relationship until they meet the person they are meant for and then, all there old ways go out the window, this one does seem fresh with some good performances. If the acting wasn't that good, the film wouldn't be nearly as enjoyable. And even the athletes perform, with LeBron James being a stand-out. He could truly win a staring contest with anyone.
There are also some truly funny parts, which a comedy undeniably needs. This is a film that I will gladly watch again. Grade: B+
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
The Middle: The Wisdom Teeth
Frankie (Patricia Heaton) is not a normal mother. She is almost gleeful that both her children must get their wisdom teeth removed over spring break, so they will be weak and helpless and need her to take care of them, just like when they were babies and couldn't unlatch the baby gate.
Mike (Neil Flynn), on the other hand, has bigger fish to fry. His brother, Rusty (Norm MacDonald) returns, wanting Mike to hide him as his ex-wife, Marlene (Mary Birdsong) is back, hunting him down, furious because he won't forward her mail and oh yeah, Rusty stole her idea for the Little Rivals diapers. Marlene, as it turns out, came up with the idea after the two bought a lottery ticket and failed to win big. Marlene wants to be cut into the profits and she is 'on' to Mike, no matter how much Mike explains that the business is barely making any money and that he is sinking money into making the product. He is so desperate for some advice, he calls Frankie's third cousin who is a paralegal. However, this paralegal gives him bad news: Marlene has a real case and could suck the profits away from them and Mike has poured so much time and effort into the business.
They all meet at a bar for drinks, and Rusty hatches a plan to kill her. It doesn't matter how many times Mike tells Rusty to just flirt with her so she will sign the paper relinquishing her claims on the business. Rusty tells her that she has nice boobs and the two make out heavily in the bathroom. Mike doesn't want to know the details. Rusty abandons the plan to kill her because he still sort of has feelings for her. She, then, says something about her idea of wearing diapers to sporting events because the bathroom lines are so long. Mike is delighted to hear this, as her idea is completely different than putting sporting teams on diapers. He gives her all the money he has in his wallet, thirty-seven dollars and leaves, grateful to be clean of her for the foreseeable future.
People under anesthesia do funny things and that is especially true on television shows. Axl (Charlie McDermott) even admits that Sue (Eden Sher) is a good person. She gets him a fork if he asks and she's so nice and he loves her. Needless to say, the video resurfaces as Brick (Atticus Shaffer) recorded the whole thing just so they would agree to his terms now that he rules the roost. Sue is so touched and hugs Axl while he tries to deny the whole thing and deletes the video so it isn't posted to instagram, to Sue's dismay. She corners him, and begs him to admit that deep down, he actually loves him family but he won't admit that because he's too cool. But at the final meal of the episode, he gives her a fork and she is moved to tears. The rest of the family doesn't understand.
Sure, this episode had some great moments and sort of moved up the maturity level, this episode wasn't the most important though each character had some great moments and each got their chance to shine, though poor Brick hasn't truly had a great plot line this season and is always overshadowed by his older siblings. Grade: B+
Side Notes:
-Brad (J. Brock Ciarlelli) also has some great moments. He has been one of the best and most consistent guest stars this series has had. He has come to take care of Sue and Axl to Frankie's dismay and has made them real soup. Sue can't believe that that is how soup is supposed to taste.
-Frankie tries to insist that the kids love the tinny soup taste from the can, it reminds them of childhood.
-She finally does kick Brad out after he entertains them with improvising occupations in different areas of the solar system. But Frankie keeps his good soup.
-Frankie is also firmly secure in her marriage because Mike calls her to inform her that Marlene brought a friend to the bar and he believes that this is going to be a set-up. Frankie tells him to do whatever he must, even kissing her just as long as Marlene signs the papers.
-Frankie does know that Axl's favorite jello is raspberry while Brick's is lime.
-Mike has taken the jar of pennies that has sat on the dresser for several season and has put that into the business.
-Brick says that now he uses a good towel though that doesn't last. Also, he references the bunny which hasn't been seen since season four. I wonder what happened to Bugs.
-Axl says that Sue needs an animal doctor to remove her teeth.
-Frankie will get forty percent off for their wisdom teeth removal and they should use it now because you never know when she'll get fired. Isn't that the truth?
-Rusty's next big idea, which is all his, is to use actual dead human hands and turn them into backscratchers, which is beyond disturbing.
-Axl's big idea is putting mashed potatoes between two slices of jello.
Mike (Neil Flynn), on the other hand, has bigger fish to fry. His brother, Rusty (Norm MacDonald) returns, wanting Mike to hide him as his ex-wife, Marlene (Mary Birdsong) is back, hunting him down, furious because he won't forward her mail and oh yeah, Rusty stole her idea for the Little Rivals diapers. Marlene, as it turns out, came up with the idea after the two bought a lottery ticket and failed to win big. Marlene wants to be cut into the profits and she is 'on' to Mike, no matter how much Mike explains that the business is barely making any money and that he is sinking money into making the product. He is so desperate for some advice, he calls Frankie's third cousin who is a paralegal. However, this paralegal gives him bad news: Marlene has a real case and could suck the profits away from them and Mike has poured so much time and effort into the business.
They all meet at a bar for drinks, and Rusty hatches a plan to kill her. It doesn't matter how many times Mike tells Rusty to just flirt with her so she will sign the paper relinquishing her claims on the business. Rusty tells her that she has nice boobs and the two make out heavily in the bathroom. Mike doesn't want to know the details. Rusty abandons the plan to kill her because he still sort of has feelings for her. She, then, says something about her idea of wearing diapers to sporting events because the bathroom lines are so long. Mike is delighted to hear this, as her idea is completely different than putting sporting teams on diapers. He gives her all the money he has in his wallet, thirty-seven dollars and leaves, grateful to be clean of her for the foreseeable future.
People under anesthesia do funny things and that is especially true on television shows. Axl (Charlie McDermott) even admits that Sue (Eden Sher) is a good person. She gets him a fork if he asks and she's so nice and he loves her. Needless to say, the video resurfaces as Brick (Atticus Shaffer) recorded the whole thing just so they would agree to his terms now that he rules the roost. Sue is so touched and hugs Axl while he tries to deny the whole thing and deletes the video so it isn't posted to instagram, to Sue's dismay. She corners him, and begs him to admit that deep down, he actually loves him family but he won't admit that because he's too cool. But at the final meal of the episode, he gives her a fork and she is moved to tears. The rest of the family doesn't understand.
Sure, this episode had some great moments and sort of moved up the maturity level, this episode wasn't the most important though each character had some great moments and each got their chance to shine, though poor Brick hasn't truly had a great plot line this season and is always overshadowed by his older siblings. Grade: B+
Side Notes:
-Brad (J. Brock Ciarlelli) also has some great moments. He has been one of the best and most consistent guest stars this series has had. He has come to take care of Sue and Axl to Frankie's dismay and has made them real soup. Sue can't believe that that is how soup is supposed to taste.
-Frankie tries to insist that the kids love the tinny soup taste from the can, it reminds them of childhood.
-She finally does kick Brad out after he entertains them with improvising occupations in different areas of the solar system. But Frankie keeps his good soup.
-Frankie is also firmly secure in her marriage because Mike calls her to inform her that Marlene brought a friend to the bar and he believes that this is going to be a set-up. Frankie tells him to do whatever he must, even kissing her just as long as Marlene signs the papers.
-Frankie does know that Axl's favorite jello is raspberry while Brick's is lime.
-Mike has taken the jar of pennies that has sat on the dresser for several season and has put that into the business.
-Brick says that now he uses a good towel though that doesn't last. Also, he references the bunny which hasn't been seen since season four. I wonder what happened to Bugs.
-Axl says that Sue needs an animal doctor to remove her teeth.
-Frankie will get forty percent off for their wisdom teeth removal and they should use it now because you never know when she'll get fired. Isn't that the truth?
-Rusty's next big idea, which is all his, is to use actual dead human hands and turn them into backscratchers, which is beyond disturbing.
-Axl's big idea is putting mashed potatoes between two slices of jello.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)