The latest urban fairy tale from Pretty Woman's Marshall sees the director continue his descent into underwritten schmaltz at the expense of genuine wit and warmth.
Comment
08/28/04
Raising Helen (2004)
22
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:124
Fresh:27
Rotten:97
Average Rating:4.6/10
Consensus: As shallow and formulaic as a sitcom.
Runtime: 1 hr 54 mins
Genre: Comedies
Synopsis: In this heartwarming comedy from director Garry Marshall ("Runaway Bride," "The Princess Diaries"), Helen Harris (Academy Award® nominee KATE HUDSON) is living the life she always dreamed of. Her... [More]
Starring: Kate Hudson, Hayden Panettiere, Abigail Breslin, Spencer Breslin
Director: Garry Marshall
Reviews for Raising Helen
Top CriticClick to read the article
08/28/04
Shiny, undemanding and deeply fake.
05/11/04
This isn't funny enough or dramatic enough.
06/15/04
Top CriticClick to read the article
02/09/06
Top Critic[T]here’s something comforting about the predictability of Raising Helen: The movie’s only surprise is that it works so well.
05/27/04
A heartwarming comedy that makes you think as well as laugh.
05/10/04
[Hudson] melds her radiance to a budding maternal soulfulness.
05/28/04
The movie, more tear-jerker than romantic comedy, gets at how painful, awful and, ultimately, worthwhile it is to be a parent, and, if it takes its time getting to that message, that makes sense.
05/28/04
As far as heartwarming comedies go, this one has all the parts necessary: the heart, the warmth, and the comedy.
11/01/06
Those suffering from testosterone poisoning from the current blockbusters will find this a welcome antidote.
05/28/04
Marshall's directing is cheerfully basic, and his sense of pacing is sketchy at best, but he has a canny way of tapping into American talking points.
05/26/04
One of Garry Marshall's better efforts. It is gently witty and occasionally entertaining, if you can overlook the fact that you've seen it all before.
05/27/04
Raising Helen gives Kate Hudson a chance to sparkle as a determined young woman who gives up her career to raise her deceased sister's three children.
05/27/04
A cunning and immensely likeable coming-of- parenting-age saga that repeatedly flies in the face of its own sitcom impulses.
05/27/04
The characters are all enjoyable, which is Marshall's goal.
05/28/04
It's a painless, affably sentimental comedy that would make a popular TV series -- and probably will become one.
05/28/04
Hudson generates enough good will in the first two-thirds of Raising Helen to offset sporadic preachiness.
05/12/04
Top CriticSatisfying only because of Joan Cusack's sterling performance. Will somebody please give that actress a starring role in her own vehicle?
05/02/07
Sugar is sweet, but not as sweet as "Raising Helen."
05/31/04
Latest News for Raising Helen
November 17, 2005:
Oh It's Already Been Broughten (Part 3)
A fresh press release from Universal informs us that there will soon be a "Bring It On 3" to enjoy, but also reminds us that, hey yeah, there WAS a direct-to-video... More...
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