Labor Pains
by Lara Shapiro
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DVD details
Actor: Cheryl Hines, Lindsay LohanDirector: Lara Shapiro
Brand: First Look Pictures
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); Spanish (Subtitled); American Sign Language (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 89 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2009-08-04
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: FIRST LOOK PICTURES
DVD Reviews of Labor Pains
DVD Review: Gimmick-Driven Retooling of "Working Girl"...
Summary: 3 Stars
A young woman, with a self-centered boyfriend, is stuck in a secretarial job, but when her boss is out of town, she assumes greater responsibilities, falls for an executive, and succeeds, brilliantly...only to be 'caught' when her boss returns, losing everything, until her contributions are fully recognized and appreciated. While this neatly sums up Lindsay Lohan's 2009 "Labor Pains", it is actually a brief synopsis of Melanie Griffith's 1988 hit, "Working Girl". While the gimmick of a faked pregnancy adds a degree of topical relevance to the mix (as well as a stream of gags about the embarrassing side effects of carrying a child), "Labor Pains" never succeeds in being more than a pale copy of the earlier film.
The problem with the film isn't Lohan, who gives a very credible performance as a likable, self-sacrificing workaholic struggling to juggle an underappreciated job, supporting a younger sister, and a relationship, while keeping her sanity; the problem is a shallow, superficial script by Stacey Kramer and Lara Shapiro, and Shapiro's heavy-handed direction, lacking the lightness and polish that Mike Nichols gave the earlier film. The pregnancy 'con', itself, is poorly conceived (can you think of any business with more than a dozen employees without some form of medical plan, or accepting the claim on face value, alone?), and the lack of any symptoms or signs would have aroused somebody's suspicions (besides the geeky kid trying to pass Lohan on the career ladder). Then there are the shaky characterizations, from the intellectually-challenged, chauvinist, dog-fixated boss (who inexplicably becomes a caring soul in the final scene), to the equally-challenged first boyfriend (why would Lohan even date such an idiot?), to the rude, unlikable younger sister. Lohan's new love interest totters from wimpy to sincere and back, and even her best friend (Cheryl Hines), after a nice character build-up in the first half of the film, is reduced to nearly a background player by film's end. Other than Bonnie Somerville's terrific performance, as a pregnant author who introduces Lohan to the world of 'living for two', the supporting cast are all nearly caricatures.
That the film 'works', at all, is due to Lindsay Lohan, and if you are buying this to see her, you'll enjoy this film...if you aren't, I suggest purchasing "Working Girl", instead!
Description of Labor Pains
LABOR PAINS - DVD MovieLabor Pains stars Lindsay Lohan as much-abused secretary Thea Dixon, whose boss makes her clean his dog when it rolls in poop. On the brink of being fired, Thea makes a desperate claim: She?s pregnant! Fear of a lawsuit prevails and she keeps her job... but now she?s got to keep up her story. It?s a chore at first, but Thea soon discovers that pregnancy has its privileges; she ends up with a promotion and a fledgling romance--all threatened by the possible revelation of her deceit. Labor Pains has the kind of preposterous but plot-driving premise that might have made for a great screwball comedy in the 1940s. Unfortunately, the clumsy script fumbles every promising scene with obvious jokes and no sense of how to maintain the tricky balance of absurdity and genuine feeling that the story requires. The movie gets a boost from its bouncy soundtrack, Lohan?s likability (only a few years ago she was riding high from Freaky Friday and Mean Girls), and an enjoyable supporting turn from Cheryl Hines (Curb Your Enthusiasm) as Thea?s caustic co-conspirator in the secretarial pool. Janeane Garofalo has a cameo as a talk-show host. --Bret Fetzer
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