First let's get this out of the way. I have never been a fan of Gwenyth Paltrow, I never understood the fuss surrounding her. She has two expressions one with her mouth is pouting and one of bewilderment. The pouting technique is in high gear in this movie. Now that is over I have to say that for once I actually liked her character. She wasn't some dumb bunny who had to be hit over the head with a brick before she noticed something was up boyfriend/husband mom. Strange the first time I saw them as a couple going into their loft in downtown NYC they looked like John Kennedy Jr and his wife. I am not sure if that is the image we are suppose to get. Anyway there is grandma in the mix which we nothing about until the wedding. And we find out she wasn't invited, she mentioned something about chasing down catering trucks to find out about the wedding. It was hilarious. Right away that should give the viewer who has yet to see the mother is nuts that something is wrong. The new husband seems to be clueless. Actually they could of used anyone including a dead Orson Welles for the part because the hubby really has nothing to do but just be a plot device. He is hubby, son of a nut and that is his role. We find out that the the son also owns the ranch mommy lives on and runs. Another hint something was not right. THen we see that he blames himself for his dads death. It looks like they made that up while they were filming the movie. Because before that we just saw a perfectly normal guy with a nutty mom now we see a victim. Well before all of this she finds out she is having a baby and they get married. One day coming into her loft she get assaulted. This locket which had already been a conversation piece between mommy and daughter in law comes up missing from the assault. Her dead parents picture is in the locket. Now we know Gwennie is all alone without any family other then her future hubby. In other words a perfect victim. OH boy we all know that locket is going to show up again. Why do people in movies keep remnants of their bad deeds?? Throw the stuff out. In any case she is afraid to live home, mommy is threatening to sell the horse farm. So son decides to make a go of the ranch. They move into the house. The hubby is really not seen too much after that other for some occasional nookie and seeing running the ranch. Like I said a dead Orson Welles could of played the part. Mom starts doing some piggy things and Gweenie is astute enough to see what is happening. There is a scene at this horse show and Gwenie sees grandma, she wants to go talk to her and mom tells her she forbids her to talk to her. Well Gwennie turns around and mentions she hasn't been forbidden to do something since she was a teenager. Good for her I say!! She goes to see the grandma but mom yells her name and a horse gets excited and almost harms a pregnant Gwennie, Well Gwen gets off the ground and Yells at mom and tells her "You didn't have to yell" She is not letting up on mom one bit, I loved it. Oh before I forget mom hears Gwennie telling her son that she talked to his grandma and he should see her. After that mom makes a visit to the Home of the Hardly Living (what the grandma calls the nursing home). And warns her to keep away. I swear she was going to kill her in the heating machine but she didn't. Gwen goes for a visit too and finds out that mom was basically a gold digger SURPRISE SURPRPISE! She eventually lets her know that the son didn't kill the dad and he wasn't leaving the mom because of a affair. Well now we know that mom is letting her son take blame for killing his dad. Oh boy. Another thing it seems the mom is interested in male offspring's only. Why we never find out but it is very weird. Heck the whole movie is weird. Gwen who has been smart up to a point all of sudden gets dumb and eats this piece of cake mom insists she eats. The poison induces labor and we see her give birth as mom is talking about the pain. Something she talks about through the movie. Weird. Before that scene we see mom has already got a room ready for the baby and Gwyn is mad. That is why I thought it was out of character for her to eat that cake. Orson Welles shows up eventually after the obligatory wish washy scene and leaves with his wife. Nothing is done about mom and her criminal behavior. I guess they are leaving granny who is a tough nut to take care of it. It is one of those so bad it is god movie. Take a look if there is nothing on. One last thing I find Jessica Lange, who I think is a very good actress always uses cigarettes as a prop when she is playing sassy or devious women, she does it here. All you have to see is her bring that cigarette put it between her fingers hold her hand up and move it backwards palm up out and you know the role she is going to play.
