A Dysfunctional Family of Five Reviews...Vanity Fair!

Every couple of years, Reese Witherspoon tries her hand at a period piece. Here's her 2004 attempt, an adaptation of the classic Thackeray satire. And we like us some Thackeray, so it'd better be good!

Dad: An American playing a Brit in a movie directed by an Indian. Riiiiight. Could they be any more clueless about the source material?

Mom: Could your Joey Tribbiani impression suck any more wind? Good Mel, let it go already! A hundred bucks says that spin-off will last only two episodes longer than Watching Ellie did.

Sis: I don't really get this movie. Why is - OH MY GOD, THAT'S IT! I'M GONNA TOTALLY BEAT THE LIVING CRAP OUT OF YOU! YOU'RE THE MOST DISGUSTING RUNT ON THIS WHOLE SICK PLANET!

Bro: [Studiously ignored the movie in favor of deliberately peeling large pieces of sunburned skin off his body and pressing them onto his sister's knees during the showing.]

Baby: It's great that Reese wants to try different things. It's too bad that this movie has fewer teeth than I do, considering the source material. Even with Monsoon Wedding's Mira Nair directing and Gosford Park's Julian Fellowes touching up the script, Elle Woods-ifying the Becky Sharp character just plain doesn't work.

Verdict: Rental for all the ladies in the house. Really. You can find something better to do with your girls' night out. Men - run away quickly.


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