Christina Ricci IS Dedee Truitt, a whole lot of trouble on her way to her long-unseen gay half-brother (Martin Donovan) and the rest of his inner circle of depressed friends (Lisa Kudrow, Lyle Lovett). She immediately seduces her brother’s lover and get’s pregnant, and wacky hijinx ensues. Along the way, everyone learns something about love, life, and the repercussions of sex.
The movie is nowhere near as dopey as the last paragraph sounds. Writer/director Don Roos (“Single White Female”) knows when to keep it light, and when to cut the cynicism. Kudrow gives the best performance she’s given in any film, finally shaking her “Friends” image. Donovan’s strong, grounded performance gives you hope he’ll avoid his fate as the next Bill Pullman. Ricci is great, but doesn’t expand on her repetoire of angry, brooding teens. Bottom line: It’s an excellent date film, but it won’t change your life. These days, it seems enough just for a film to make sense. In other words, it’s better than “Godzilla”.
