Stepmom (1998)

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

This is ultimately a movie about the very bad things that can happen when we don't address our unease, when we just try to brush it off, whether that's to fit in or to preserve our self-image.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

I wish there s more than 10 to rate this movie i guess this is my fav movie ever i ve watched this movie over 100 times and i ll watch another 100 times love it

I saw this after getting a leukemia diagnosis..watched it alone in a hotel room..I had a son and daughter...my son used to say the same things to me...great set-up for tears right?? Don't understand the ease with which Luke is able to just dump his family for Isabelle who doesn't seem to have any clothes other than leather or a burgundy sweater set...sorry these folks don't exist in real life. Why marry Luke Isabelle?? He has a young son but just "falls" out of love with his wife and leaves them?? I cry bullshit. Luke's answers are so maniacally 1 dimensional it frustrated me....and she is supposed to be some great photographer but is just willing to give up her career? Did anyone think the daughter was such a brat because Mom had issues when life focused on someone other than her? Too many questions, pretty house - pretty topical stuff but too many selfish adults in one movie to make any sense.

Stepmom is a well acted drama if slightly melodramatic film. I'm not quite sure why it's billed on here as a comedy/drama, although it does have some lighter moments it's a serious film and definitely not comedic. Knowing you are dying and are going to leave your children with another woman must be terrifying prospect for any woman. Stepmom does a good job of giving a balanced view both women's situation. Susan Sarandon is fantastic as the bitter ex wife who finds out she is dying. Julia Roberts also does a good support job as the prospective step mom. Jena Malone gives a great performance as the young girl struggling to come to terms with the situation. The film builds nicely towards it's inevitably sad conclusion. This is certainly up there with the saddest films I've ever seen. Be ready with the tissues if you are prone to crying at sad films. Stepmom is definitely a film aimed more towards the female market (it's one of my wife's favourites) but I'm not ashamed to say I really like it. Recommended.

As a Comedy, it stunk. It had only a couple of funny moments that were shown in the trailers - no other funny parts...In actuality, it is a tear jerker. I don't know why they classify it as Comedy or why the trailers gave the impression of a Comedy. As a real stepmom, myself, I was hoping to see a lighter-side comedy about relationships that can be difficult and sometimes pretty tough and even heartbreaking; instead, it was about a relationship that was forced/forged through tragedy - not much to laugh about in the tragic second half of the movie.That being said, it was well written and well executed and as a Drama it was really good. The acting was superb and the writing was excellent. I was disappointed because I had been in the mood for a Comedy when I watched it.