Monster-in-law - 2005

 Nice enough.

Charlie, full name Charlotte, likes Kevin at first sight, but when she meets him waitressing at his party (he’s a doctor) a jealous woman, Fiona, tells her that he’s gay. Still, he calls her and then walks around where he knows she walks her dogs - well, not hers, she’s a dog-walker among other little things like yoga instructor and stuff. She’s a temp, she says.

His mother though works in television and is quite overbearing, but she has just been replaced with a young pretty blonde. She does not take it well and breaks down on live tv and assaults a 17 year-old singer.

A few months later, she decides she’s to turn a new leaf and concentrate on his son, only to discover that he has a girlfriend. 

Charlie moved in with him and is about to meet his mother Viola.

Viola has been married four times but her career has always been her priority, and now her son is all she has. Viola dislikes Charlie before even seeing her, just because she’s with Kevin.

Viola plays it nice at first, but then Kevin proposes to Charlie right in front of her. Viola tries to make her change her mind, but can’t.

Kevin is sure his mom loves Charlie… but she doesn’t.

Viola invites them to a “barbecue” but instead she had a whole big party planned, to make Charlie look and feel out of place.

Viola introduces her to everyone saying “she’s a temp” and then Viola sends Fiona up to Kevin’s room… and Charlie sees her kissing him.

Viola also gave Charlie a too small dress. Charlie feels like she doesn’t belong, but Kevin has nice words and they leave together.

Viola’s next tactic is to make her crazy, so she tries to take charge of their wedding. Charlie says no and Viola has an anxiety attack… so Kevin is on his mom’s side on this, since he believes her.

The “doctor” tells Kevin that Viola shouldn’t be left alone, so Charlie has to take care of her… 

Viola acts the nice old lady and Kevin tells her she should move in with them… then Kevin has to leave …

Viola cries loudly at night, makes her sleep in her bed and then she hits her faking a nightmare then she cooks for her and asks her lots of embarrassing questions… She doesn’t let her sleep at night and wants to buy a house near them.

Charlie’s friend Remy looks into Viola’s room one day while she’s out, and finds out she’s been investigating her, and also her pills are not really medicine, and her doctor is not a doctor but a waiter.

So Charlie goes on the counter-attack, bringing home her dogs and not letting her drink… Charlie gives her a maid-of-honor dress and shows her hand, having her moving out of their house.

Viola gives her nuts knowing she’s allergic (ok, after a fight with Ruby she had accepted the idea she could not do that, but she had already mixed the nuts into some gravy, and it came into Charlie’s plate anyway).

Finally the wedding:

Viola rejects her bridesmaid dress and wears a white dress instead, that rivals the bride herself.

They slap each other until Gertrude arrives, Viola’s mother-in-law.

Seeing Viola and Gertrude together act like she and Viola do, makes her think that she can’t do that for the rest of her life, and she wants to give up. 

Ruby tells Viola that she acts worse with Charlie than Gertrude ever did with her, and that her son IS happy with her, so Viola and Charlie have a heart-to-heart, making a deal that Viola won’t be so overbearing and Charlie will never cut her out of their life.

So, peace made, Charlie marries Kevin.

Charlie - Jennifer Lopez

Kevin - Michael Vartan

Viola - Jane Fonda

Ruby - Wanda Sykes

Remy - Adam Scott

Fiona - Monet Mazur

Gertrude - Elaine Stritch

Dr Chamberlaine - Stephen Dunham

Viola’s young replacement - Jenny Wade

popstar - Stephanie Turner

ITA quel mostro di suocera