Raising Helen (2004)

Perfectly adorable

I like Black Panther, but I didn't like this movie.

It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

careful; SPOILERS! Hi I love cinema but don't write many reviews, but here I can't help but wonder what is the point of a movie like this? you learn nothing, no one is interesting and it is not even plausible. I like Kate Hudson but this vehicle for her is from someone who likes her even more. there is no interest in this movie whatsoever, the acting is alright but what is it trying to say? For starters you can't leave your kids to anyone just because you feel like it, family or not. they have to be approved and willing and capable. actors read this and agreed to it , Helen Mirren? they must have owed some favors. what is the feedback? strange. don't waste your time the actors did already.

I first saw this when I bought this is on DVD a while ago. It was a great film but there were some sad bits. It is about the death of Paul and Lindsay who left her youngest sister Helen to be guardian of her three children Audrey, Sarah and Henry. The one thing that annoyed me about this film was Joan Cusack's character Jenny, the character got on my nerves I found her smug when Helen gave the kids to her after Audrey went to the hotel with the boy from her high school. Abigail Breslin was adorable as the youngest child Sarah, Spencer Breslin and Hayden Paniettere were great as the older siblings Audrey and Henry. Helen Mirren was great as Helen's boss Dominique.

A well-worn comic premise is revived with some success in RAISING HELEN, a watchable family comedy that has the breezy direction of Garry Marshall and a charismatic cast working for it. Kate Hudson stars as Helen Harris, a Manhattan bachelorette who works at a modeling agency who finds her life turned upside down when she is awarded custody of her sister's three children after her sister's sudden death in a car accident. Also thrown into the mix is an underdeveloped romance with a hunky pastor, played by John Corbett (SEX AND THE CITY). The story plays out pretty much as expected though the screenplay attempts to encompass too much. Marshall's direction is strong and Hudson's charm is undeniable. Joan Cusack, as always, steals every scene she's in as Helen's sister Jenny, a tightly-wound supermom who thinks she should have gotten custody of the kids. Helen Mirren (in a refreshing change of pace) and Marshall's good luck charm, Hector Elizondo provide some amusing moments as Helen's two employers during the course of the story. The kids are well-played by Hayden Pannetierre, Abigail Breslin (LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE) and Abigail's real-life older brother, Spencer. Like most of Marhsall's films, it's a little too long, but laughter and warmth can be found here.

In the movie Raising Helen, Helen Harris lived a glamorous, uptown girl life with a career in the modeling industry. She spent her working days in the fashion world and her evenings out partying at clubs. Helen's life took an unexpected turn very quickly when she received a devastating phone call. The call was shocking news that shocked their family, changing it forever. Helen's family had found out that one of Helen's sisters Lindsay, played by Felicity Huffman, had died in a fatal car accident along with her husband. Now their three children Audrey, Henry and Sarah were left without parents and the decision of their children's fate lied in Lindsay and her husband's will. Jenny, Helen's other sister, played by Joan Cusack, and Helen sat down with the lawyers and were each handed a letter written by their sister. Then the lawyer read the will out loud revealing that Helen would have custody over the kids. Now most people would have suspected that the children's new guardian would be Jenny, who was much more motherly than Helen, having children of her own already. Putting is bluntly, Helen, played by Kate Hudson, was not your typical mother figure. She had yet to settle down, especially with her career on a rise."If you're reading this, you know that I'm gone. And I asked Helen to be the guardian for the kids." This was the statement written by Lindsay in Jenny's note stating her decision to leave her children with Helen. This decision came as a shock to all of the characters and I'm sure most of the audience.Helen knew that this would change her life forever, but she had no idea how difficult it would really be. She would have to ultimately give up her exciting, city life and turn it into a life that was suitable for three children. This was a big adjustment for Helen, going from not having any kids at all, to becoming responsible of three all at once. With her sister's decision, Helen became accountable for little miss fifteen-year-old rebel Audrey, played by Hayden Panettiere, pudgy ten-year-old Henry, played by Spencer Breslin, and adorable five-year-old Sarah, played by Abigail Breslin. The four began their life together and soon realized that Helen's busy, city lifestyle and its surroundings just weren't going to be a good fit for all of them.Helen eventually becomes overwhelmed and discouraged with her new life of motherhood. She is uncertain if this is the life she is supposed to lead and wonders if she will ever become a good role model for the kids. Helen finally realizes that she needs to make a life changing decision. Does she want to leave the new life that she that has been handed in order to go back to her old life, or does she want to put her old city girl life behind her forever in order to take care of her nieces and nephew? Raising Helen is a perfect title for this movie because Helen is trying to raise three kids and essentially realizes that she is learning how to raise herself also. This movie is classified as a comedy, drama and romance film into one, and I think that it is exactly that. It is a movie that will put you in shock, then make you cry, and then suddenly make you laugh. It is an emotional and dramatical movie because it is filled with a tragedy that would shatter any family and you actually feel their struggle. I believe that the comical part is from watching Helen grow up and trying to raise kids with a lot of the laughter coming from the supporting roles. Most of the performances in this movie were wonderful, especially Joan Cusack, who made a perfect supermom/superaunt. I enjoyed Kate Hudson performance; however she wasn't the lovable, sweet girl that we have seen in most of her other movies. This made me not enjoy the movie as much, since I normally love Kate Hudson movies. I had enjoyed her much more in some of her other films such as How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days or You, Me, and Dupree.