Raising Helen (2003)

Helen Harris (Kate Hudson) has it all: a great job, a great apartment, and most importantly, no one else to worry about except herself.

She is, however, the favourite aunt to her sister’s three children, Audrey (Hayden Panettiere), Henry (Spencer Breslin) and Sarah (Abigail Breslin). And when their parents are both killed in a tragic car accident, the three children are sent to live with Helen, as per the wishes of the parents.

This is terrible news to Helen’s other sister Jenny (Joan Cusack) who, with her husband, already has children, and believes that she is the much better choice to raise the children right. But it is even worse news to Helen herself, who had her life on track, and doesn’t have the space, the time, or anywhere near the knowledge or experience to raise three children properly.

Throw in some awkward sexual tension between Helen and the pastor of the childrens’ Lutheran school, Pastor Dan (John Corbett), and you have the recipe for a fantastic comedy.

And the comedy is fantastic. Screenwriters Jack Amiel & Michael Begler have created a great script, filled with authentic characters who play off each other perfectly to provide the best laughs, and at the same time, some important life lessons for all the characters involved.

Director Garry Marshall (known for many other films in a similar vein to this one, and with similar tone and feel) has done it again with this one. He has a very formulaic feel to his films, and this one is no exception. It is enjoyable enough, and funny enough, and real enough, but at the end of the day, it has the clear Garry Marshall stamp on it.

There are great cameos from Helen Mirren and Paris Hilton, and really great performances from the three children, in particular, Hayden Panettiere. But the standout performance in this film most definitely comes from Joan Cusack, who handles the balance of comedy and drama with such impeccability, she makes it seem easy.

While the film is enjoyable enough to watch, there is nothing particularly spectacular about it. If you haven’t seen it, I would suggest you give it a go at least once; there are a lot of great and touching moments in it. But it’s not necessarily a film to watch again and again.

5 out of 10.