Review of Stepmom (1998) by Blanky A — 17 Apr 2010

The movie is really about the Sarandon character. Harris is absent for much of the second half, until he turns up for a family photo. Sarandon can create characters of astonishing conviction. Here she has to be unreasonable for half the movie and courageous for the rest; there's not a rest period where she just gets to be this woman. Every scene has a purpose; we're reminded of the value of those brief pillow scenes in which directors like Yasujiro Ozu take a beat and let us see their characters simply being.

To be sure, "Stepmom" has a certain tact. It wants us to cry, but it doesn't hold a gun on us, like "Patch Adams," and enforce its emotions with sentimental terrorism. Roberts and Sarandon are immensely likable people, and Harris here seems caring and reasonable in a thankless role. I would have enjoyed spending time with them, if they'd been able to pull themselves away from the plot.