Kathmandu:

In ‘Monster-In-Law,’ a comedy that marks the return of Oscar winner and Hollywood icon Jane Fonda after 15 years she is literally up against Jennifer Lopez’s character Charlie who isn’t looking for perfection, she just wants to find a sweet guy, or so she claims right before she meets Michael Vartan’s character, Kevin. Not only is he sweet, but he’s rich and eager to marry. It seems like a too-good-to-be-true scenario until Charlie meets her future mother-in-law, Viola, an overly protective and highly strung woman, played by Jane Fonda. Viola decides Charlie isn’t fit for her son and a battle of wills ensues. Said Jennifer Lopez, “When I first got the script I read it and thought it was a really funny premise. Those two different characters and the way they would relate in a setting where there was a rivalry, to me made for a lot of funny, different situations that could happen.”

For the failing career of Jennifer Lopez Alanna Fincke of In Touch Weekly says, “The stakes are pretty high for Jennifer Lopez with ‘Monster-In-Law’. She hasn’t had a hit in a while. She used to be making close to $20 million a movie and she’s not going to keep getting those salaries if this isn’t a hit. Her album that just came out hasn’t done that well either, so she sort of needs a boost right now.” As far as ‘Monster-In-Law’ is concerned, the early word is that Lopez does pull of some snappy lines and delivers an assured performance, but it’s the same one we’ve seen her give time and again. Says Tom Brooks of the towering Fonda who Jennifer is up against, “ Jane Fonda was once one of the biggest names in Hollywood and a polarizing figure. Now she’s moving into full promotional mode, seeking out the limelight to promote both her new autobiography and her first movie in fifteen years. Fonda has had some memorable roles - an Oscar winning turn as an unstable prostitute in ‘Klut’ in 1971, opposite Jon Voight in the Vietnam War-themed ‘Coming Home’ in 1978, and in the comedy

‘Nine To Five’ in 1980. In her prime she was a major movie star.” Now she’s back, with an autobiography and new movie. Although the label of an anti-war activist, Hanoi Jane has never left she has the knack of re-inventing herself. In the 1980’s she transformed herself into a fitness guru, and now ‘Monster-in-Law’ could mark a new chapter in her career as an actress.

Says Critic Glenn Kerry,” Fonda came out of retirement to play Viola Fields, a TV interviewer”,

who’s lost her youth, who’s just been fired, and now she’s going to lose her son,”. Says Fonda.”(But) she’s going to go down fighting. “Reflecting on her 15-year hiatus, the two-time Oscar winner adds,” My last bunch of films, I would dread getting up in the morning and I was so scared. I had a feeling that wouldn’t be the case this time, and it wasn’t. It was so much fun.” It might have been fun but Fonda gets The Bitch-of-the-year award for her slightly over the top performance, which can best be described as elegantly scheming and hysterical and J Lo comes over as a cute gallumphing puppy. Together they’re like watching prizefighters

with gloves off and stilettos at the ready. Watch ‘Monster-In-Law’ because Fonda is great and, at times, so is Jennifer.