In the Land of Women

Reviewed by:
Pete Hammond

Twenty-six-year-old Carter Webb (The O.C.'s Adam Brody) is an aspiring writer who gets dumped by his actress/model/celebrity girlfriend (Elena Anaya) and leaves town to go to his eccentric grandma's (Olympia Dukakis) house to lick his wounds. Within a week, not only is he involved with the hot high school coed who lives across the street (Kristen Stewart), but also her mother (Meg Ryan), and even her 10-year-old sister, who has a crush on him. How does this ordinary-looking, less-than-buff guy serve as a magnet for chicks of all ages? He listens to them. That seems to be the aphrodisiac that works best for the wounded, sensitive, and searching soul that Carter projects. Women just melt for the guy. But still you have to wonder why all females in his path are ready to sign on, particularly his ex, who seems way out of his league (apparently she has pushed him aside for one of her costars, Colin Farrell). Such is the stuff of female fantasy movies, where their ideal guy always says the right thing and shuts up the rest of the time, preferring to hear their seemingly endless riffs on life and love. Despite a lack of credibility and some maudlin touches in debuting director Jonathan Kasdan's script, the movie isn't all that bad, thanks to a band of cast members who rise to the occasion and somehow make it all seem plausible. Brody, in his first big-screen role post-O.C., has a nice disarming presence, and Stewart is a real find. If you're looking to get some action off the screen, rather than on, this is probably a good date flick to give in and take your girlfriend to.

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