Review of The Nanny Diaries (2007) by Matthew M — 23 May 2009

I must admit, Scarlett Johansson is a beautiful woman, but not since "Lost in Translation" has she been able to capture the ability that nearly had her nominated for an Oscar. Sadly, such ability doesn't make an appearance in 'The Nanny Diaries' which is a stilted, if not solid attempt in adapting the book of the same name.

There are two main problems with this film: the screenplay and Scarlett Johansson herself. First off, the screenplay is extremely under-developed as characters are paper thin. But most importantly, the happy ending that the film tries to provide us with is one that seemingly comes out of nowhere and really just sort of happens through 'movie magic.

' This is quite disappointing considering the characters inhabited by Laura Linney and Paul Giamatti are interesting and conflicting characters. Its just a shame their characters didn't get the respect and time they deserved.

With that being said, the biggest blackhole 'The Nanny Diaries' offers is Scarlett Johansson who just seems to be showing up and collecting a token pay check. As she does with most of her latest roles, she delivers every line in a nasaly, monotone voice that is more irritating than it is a form of emotional depth.

She never really develops any chemistry with Chris Evans nor Alicia Keys nor the little boy that she is supposed to be "nannying." Instead she is simply there, only to be seen and not heard.

This is an obvious problem considering she is the focal point of the film. Now, aside from the two points mentioned above, 'Diaries' has some redeeming qualities. One factor is the performances of Giamatti and Linney who try to their best with the material given.

Also, per usual when it comes to similar films, 'Diaries' has a sweet charm to it that happens to shine through despite Johansson's suckage. So, the question becomes: Is 'Diaries' worth my time? I would say yes and no.

It has breezy and light feel to it, which is always a welcome change if one wants some old fashion fun, but it will certainly be forgotten once the credits roll.