Review of Drowning Mona (2000) by Kate R — 15 Nov 2005

Drowning Mona features a strong ensemble cast with enjoyable characters, clever dialogue, entertaining twists and turns, and a plot that completely fizzles out. Bette Midler plays the titular bitch, Mona Dearly, who drives her Yugo off a cliff in the opening scene. Local police chief Wyatt Rash (Danny DeVito) immediately suspects foul play and launches an investigation. His prime suspects are Mona's witless son Jeff (Marcus Thomas); Jeff's uncultivated but gentle landscaping partner Bobby Calzone (an angelic blond Casey Affleck); and Mona's seemingly simple husband Phil (William Fichtner). Ellen Rash (Neve Campbell) is Chief Rash's daughter and Bobby Calzone's fiance. Jamie Lee Curtis plays Rona, a feisty waitress and Phil Dearly's woman on the side. Will Ferrell rounds out the cast as Cubby the funeral director.

Drowning Mona is packed with hilarious scenes. Affleck, Thomas and especially Fichtner display a flair for the bizarre without going completely over the top. Unlike Will Ferrell, they know where to draw the line between eccentric behavior and clowning. DeVito and Campbell make a genuine father-daughter team and I enjoyed their interactions. But even the strongest performances can't overcome a lousy ending. It's clear that no one in the town of Verplanck, New York is grieving for Mona, and many characters had their motive to killer her. And yet, when a minor character of dubious integrity identifies the killer, he completely takes the wind out of the story. It's as though the writers thought, well we have to end it now, so let's just come up with something remotely plausible, and wash our hands of it.