Review of In the Land of Women (2007) by Claire T — 11 Jul 2008

Undoubtedly, someone will hate me for my next few comments. This is one of my favorite movies of all time. It is simple and well written. Adam Brody plays Carter, a recently dumped softcore porno writer who just wants to get away for a while, from his job and his ex-girlfriend, and decides to live with his aging senile grandmother (played perfectly by Olympia Dukakis). His hope is to avoid any and all intimate contact with women, but finds himself instead falling for his older neighbor Sarah (played by Meg Ryan), while also unintentionally winning the heart of her teenage daughter, Lucy (Kristen Stewart). The drama of the film unfolds when Sarah finds out she has breast cancer and that her husband has been having and affair. Carter finds himself the top point of a love triangle with mother on one side and daughter on the other.

So why would I like this movie so much? I can't remember a movie in which I was able to relate to the main character as much as I did with Carter. Sure, I'm not from L.A. and I've never been dumped by a movie star. Nor have I ever been in a mother-daughter love triangle. But check this dialogue between Carter and Sarah:

Carter Webb: I pride myself on being this great listener, but whenever I meet somebody new I find I'm doing all the talking.

Sarah Hardwicke: Maybe you're not really such a great listener.

Carter Webb: Hmm?

Sarah Hardwicke: Maybe you're not such a great listener.

Carter Webb: No that's not it, I'm a great listener.

That's me, 100%. And this powerful lecture from Carter to Lucy:

Carter Webb: There's a big fucking world out there. It's messy, and it's chaotic, and it's never, never ever the thing you'd expect. It is ok to be scared, but you cannot allow your fears to turn you into an asshole, not when it comes to the people that love you, the people that need you.

And, finally, in one of the funniest bits of the movie, Carter is confronted by Lucy's ex-boyfriend Gabe Foley after escorting her to a party:

Gabe Foley: You think you can step into my 'hood, slinging game at my girl, drinkin' my boy's brew, and expect not to be scrappin' directly?

Carter Webb: What?

Gabe Foley: Are you deaf and stupid? I said -.

Carter Webb: - Don't repeat all that. Please. I think the answer to your question depends on whether you have, like, a learning disability, or you're just an average moron.

Carter Webb: [after Gabe punches Carter] OK, above-average moron.

Just like me, Carter doesn't know how to keep his comments to himself when he knows he's right, even after being punched in the face.

Without Carter and a talented actor to play such a character, the movie would only receive three stars from me. But because of such a convincing performance and well-written script, In the Land of Women gets a 4.