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The online film magazine Combustible Celluloid offers new movie reviews, DVD reviews, film reviews, actor interviews, actress interviews, director interviews, film books and all things cinema related for the thoughtful and passionate. Online for ten years! Over 3000 reviews!

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In the Land of Women (2007)

Rating: 1 1/2 Stars (out of 4)

Ladies' Trite

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Buy In the Land of Women on DVD

Another of Lawrence Kasdan's offspring scratches a directorial itch. Jonathan Kasdan's first film has a distinctive artificiality to it, as if someone from isolated privilege were trying to understand the problems of real people. His main character, softcore porn writer Carter Webb (Adam Brody), is a quirky Ferris Bueller-type who always has something witty to say. When his movie star girlfriend dumps him, he flits off to suburbia to live with his grandmother and finish his novel. There, he meets a woman with cancer (Meg Ryan) and her beautiful teenage daughter (Kristen Stewart). His cutesy wisdom apparently enriches their lives. Ryan, who re-appears here after a three-year absence, attempts to charm her way through her character's illness, but Kasdan's clueless psychological insight leaves her stranded.

Starring: Adam Brody, Kristen Stewart, Meg Ryan, JoBeth Williams, Olympia Dukakis, Elena Anaya, Makenzie Vega, Dustin Milligan, Graham Wardle, Elise Gatien, Christine Danielle, Rob Reinis, Clark Gregg, Jeff Cunningham, Ginnifer Goodwin, Karin Konoval
Written by: Jonathan Kasdan
Directed by: Jonathan Kasdan
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sexual content, thematic elements and language
Running Time: 97 minutes
Date: April 20, 2007