At first this movie seems like just another lame rom-com as the wistful (Jennifer Lopez) makes goggle eyes at (Michael Vartan). It's only when (Jane Fonda) enters the scene as potential mother-in-law Viola Fields that the action really locks into gear. Viola is a washed-up chat show host fresh from the funny farm after having a breakdown on national television. With little left to live for, she refuses to let a "temp" steal her precious boy and so the games begin...
She does get upstaged, however, by scene-stealers Wanda Sykes, as Fonda's sharp-tongued personal assistant who tries to derail her plots.
Fonda has good chemistry with co-star Lopez, but I can't say as much for the chemistry between Lopez and Vartan though. I couldn't believe that they were in love. "Monster-In-Law" does earn laughs on a fairly steady basis -- but not enough of them to make up for the fact that it's not the best romantic comedy overall. Bearing that in mind, however, Monster-In-Law is fiendishly… more »

At first this movie seems like just another lame rom-com as the wistful (Jennifer Lopez) makes goggle eyes at (Michael Vartan). It's only when (Jane Fonda) enters the scene as potential mother-in-law Viola Fields that the action really locks into gear. Viola is a washed-up chat show host fresh from the funny farm after having a breakdown on national television. With little left to live for, she refuses to let a "temp" steal her precious boy and so the games begin...
She does get upstaged, however, by scene-stealers Wanda Sykes, as Fonda's sharp-tongued personal assistant who tries to derail her plots.
Fonda has good chemistry with co-star Lopez, but I can't say as much for the chemistry between Lopez and Vartan though. I couldn't believe that they were in love. "Monster-In-Law" does earn laughs on a fairly steady basis -- but not enough of them to make up for the fact that it's not the best romantic comedy overall. Bearing that in mind, however, Monster-In-Law is fiendishly good fun to watch.