Marni (Kristin Bell) was the poster child of nerds in her high school class 2002. But now it’s a few years later and she’s a successful PR woman whose life’s motto to co-workers is… “it’s not what happens to you, it’s how you respond to it.” But when her big brother Will (James Wolk) is about to marry the very girl, Joanna (Odette Yustman) who was her high school nemesis we’ll see if she can eat those words. Her mother (Jamie Lee Curtis) offers her the advice of moving on and forgiveness, that is until Joanna’s Aunt Ramona (Sigourney Weaver) shows up. Turns out that shewas Curtis’s nemesis back in the day. And this is when the film takes two comic genres and combines them: The high school bully/reunion theme and the family/in-law wedding disaster. The problem (among many) is that collectively these actors work awfully hard to deliver over-the-top performances that aren’t funny, though occasionally sentimental. I did shed a tear when the two moms are in the pool confessing their inner thoughts. And I suppose the predictable message is a lot of clichés like” Learn to let go of the past,” or “People change” over time, or “Everyone deserves a second chance.” Whatever. All of that said, it’s refreshing to see a movie that can hold a screen without swearing, punching, special effects or anything that garnishes the necessary PG 13 rating. This one is PG. And then there’s Betty White as grandma, and for her, it gets its TWO TIARAS
