The newest big-screen adaptation of a chick-lit bestseller, "The Nanny Diaries," contains the fluff and predictability that tragically often comes with romantic comedies, yet also entertains with its caricature of the super-rich New York City's Upper East Siders.
The movie, directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, is based upon the 2002 novel of the same name written by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, and tells the story of Annie Braddock (who is actually named "Nanny" in the novel).
Scarlett Johansson plays Annie, a recent college graduate at a crossroads in life who accidentally runs into a little boy, Grayer X, in Central Park. Grayer's mother, Mrs. X, mistakes Annie's name as "Nanny" and immediately offers her the job as Grayer's nanny.
Grayer (the adorable Nicolas Reese Art) is a spoiled four-year-old the first time we meet him. In a matter of scenes, however, we see him transformed from tantrum-loving to well-behaved boy hurt by neglecting parents, Mr. and Mrs. X.
Mrs. X, played brilliantly by Laura Linney, is an overly demanding, unreasonable, and too-fabulous-to-be-stopped boss. She has frequent visits to the spa, high-class banquets, and the habit of taking all-day shopping trips. Obsessed with the idea of getting Grayer admitted to prep school, Mrs. X has a list of "educational activities" he is permitted to do (which does not include traveling to the Upper West Side, the inferior side of town), and hires French mimes rather than clowns to perform at Grayer's birthday party. In other words, Mrs. X is the Devil in snakeskin Fendi; this time, though, with a son.
Paul Giamatti plays Grayer's father, Mr. X, who is a bald, adulterous businessman always away from home. His unavailability, physically and emotionally, to both his son and wife is reflected in the fact that his face is not shown during the first scenes in which he appears. When at home, he hardly gives Grayer the attention he wants. He is constantly arguing with his wife, even lying to her about working overtime in order to continue an affair with another woman. However, although Mr. X is sloppy, rude and unattentive to his family, he is not presented as an anomaly in the distorted modern-day Manhattan upper-class life. In fact, Annie's voiceover claims that every Fifth Avenue woman wrestles with the farfetched and evasive notion of the monogamist husband.
Linney is great as the caricature of the Fifth Avenue woman, and manages to give a bit of life and heart to her character. In one scene, Mrs. X almost forces Annie to admit that a négligée found in the laundry belongs to Annie, and not to Mr. X's lover.
Throughout the movie, we grow to believe that Mrs. X is not only a crazed boss, but also a woman at the same time troubled by the infidelity of her husband, and yet willing to turn a blind eye towards it because she has no other choice. Linney brings a sense of vulnerability and struggle to Mrs. X that draws compassion and understanding, despite her character's insane and often very funny requests.
Surprisingly, however, Johansson in the title role does not fit quite as well. She brings too much drama to a character that should be light and humorous: Annie is mostly stressed and worried.
Annie's love interest, known as "Harvard Hottie," is another romantic comedy cliché. Played by Chris Evans, he catches Annie in compromising situation after compromising situation. During these comical encounters, she endures the misfortunes of being caught with her pants pulled down, and dressed in a Revolutionary Daughters getup. Though he is very nice to look at, not much more can be said about Harvard Hottie except that he is the cookie-cutter boyfriend secondary in the storyline to the female protagonist. He meets girl, falls for her charms, helps girl transform from confused puddle to enlightened woman. That, in a sentence, forms the plot's spine.
The movie does, however, try to separate itself from other chick-lit remakes by metaphorically using anthropology in the narration. Annie, an anthropology major and enthusiast, tells the entire story as if it was a case study, complete with the introduction of different cultures: The Samoans, The Africans, The Park Ave. Power Lesbian, etc. The idea of working for the Xs as a way to gain insight into a world unfamiliar to Annie is very amusing and probably would have been more effective if the storyline wasn't so trite and predictable.
Another interesting point of the movie is that it adapts names given in the novel. The Xs are named as such to stress the universality of a culture that behaves like them. Even though the film changes the name of the lead character from "Nanny" to "Annie," the fact that Mrs. X mistakes Annie's name and immediately assumes that she is a nanny is an insight into Mrs. X's brash and selfish nature. All in all, "The Nanny Diaries" proves to be a good movie for a Wednesday afternoon visit to the cinema. It is a thoroughly enjoyable movie to sit through if you enjoy a light comedy. As you leave the theater, it will leave you chuckling, talking about the cute Grayer X, and both contemplating and laughing about the fabulous yet miserable families of the super rich in New York.