Heartwarming & Horrific Family Tales: At The Movies With Kasey
When we started watching Nonnas on Netflix, I told my husband I thought it was about a cabal of grandmothers. My hopes for the movie were pretty modest because it looked like a mediocre comedy bringing together an all-star cast to make a cash grab for Mother’s Day. Although it is only sort of about a cabal of grandmothers, the film has much more heart and quality writing than I expected.
Inspired by a true story, Nonnas follows Joe (Vince Vaughn) in his efforts to find purpose after caring for his mother in her final years. With the life insurance she left behind, and some help from friends, he opens a restaurant, hiring local “nonnas”—Roberta (Lorraine Bracco), Teresa (Talia Shire), Antonella (Brenda Vaccaro), and Gia (Susan Sarandon)—as the chefs.
The film features beautiful sets that create a real sense of place. From the kitchen in Joe’s house, which looks like a time capsule, to his baseball mitt chair, to the classic restaurant, the design enhances the story by adding texture to the community and the characters. Plus, the soundtrack builds on the cool vintage vibes with great needle drops and quirky additions such as an Italian cover of “These Boots Are Made for Walking.”
Much of the character development is solid and nuanced. In one wonderful scene, the nonnas sit around drinking limoncello and talking about their lives. The conversation about their various experiences of womanhood and family brings together the film’s themes and feels true to life. The women represent different paths in their time and place, without their interactions feeling like the screenplay was checking off a list. The performances of the talented ensemble help the characters build on each other, making the scenes in the kitchen full of layers and depth.
As Joe, Vince Vaughn brings his everyman charm and a bit of emotional range, too. Some of his scenes are weakened by the uneven development of the other characters in his generation. His friends Stella (Drea de Matteo) and Bruno (Joe Manganiello) continually drive his plot forward, adding motivation and conflict, but their personas are fairly one-note. As Joe’s love interest, Olivia, Linda Cardellini feels shoehorned in. Olivia has an interesting backstory, but with so many characters already in the mix, her plot comes off like some executive asked for a romance to be added. It’s a shame, because Cardellini has such presence, and I wanted more of her.
Despite some uneven writing, Nonnas provides a heartwarming mix of comedy and drama with an outstanding ensemble and a compelling story to tell.
Nonnas was written by Liz Maccie and Jody Scaravella and directed by Stephen Chbosky. It runs 111 minutes and is rated PG.
When we started watching The Ugly Stepsister, I at least knew what the movie was about, but somehow, I missed that it was a Norwegian-language film. Eventually, I did not notice the language barrier as the film provides unsettling body horror alongside a beautifully atmospheric fairytale. Based on Cinderella, The Ugly Stepsister focuses on Elvira (Lea Myren), who moves with her mother, Rebekka (Ane Dahl Torp), and younger sister, Alma (Flo Fagerli), to live with Rebekka’s new husband and his beautiful daughter, Agnes (Thea Sofie Loch Næss). Agnes’s father soon dies, and the family must find a way to make ends meet. Agnes has her heart set on marrying Prince Julian (Isac Calmroth), and when he announces a ball, she thinks she has her chance, if only she can fix her appearance and out-compete her beautiful stepsister.
The Ugly Stepsister creates slow-burning body horror built around the terrible notion that beauty is pain. Just ask Elvira, who underwent plastic surgery conducted in the parlor in front of family and without general anesthetic. The horror comes in intense bursts surrounded by beautiful, moody scenes around a Gothic house, dense forests, and a finishing school reminiscent of Degas’ paintings of ballerinas. The contrast makes the violence hit all the harder.
As Elvira, Lea Myren has few lines but conveys such longing and jealousy in her face that she makes the supposed antagonist of the story a pitiable and maybe sympathetic character. Elvira endures shocking procedures to chase the prince, demanding intense physical acting from Myren in contrast with the quietness of many portions of the film. The film’s success hinges on her ability to be both horrific and nuanced, and she handles the role masterfully.
The Ugly Stepsister made me gag once or twice, but I was also captivated by the sets, costumes, and the new spin on the Cinderella story. If you can handle the horrors and the subtitles, it is definitely worth checking out.
The Ugly Stepsister was written and directed by Emilie Blichfeldt. It runs 109 minutes and is not rated, but it’s a horror movie, so you can guess. It is streaming on Shudder and AMC+.
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