So Undercover (2012)

Directed by Tom Vaughan (1)

Cast: Miley Cyrus (2), Jeremy Piven (3), Mike O'Malley (4), Josh Bowman (5), Megan Park (6), and Alexis Knapp (7)

(Watch the trailer)

My favourite quote - "If binging and purging were a crime, she'd be on death row."


Okay. So this movie is totally NOT going to win any Oscars or Emmys, and while it smells very much like a Miss Congeniality cum Nancy Drew cum Legally Blonde wannabe , it's not THAT bad. The reason why I call So Undercover a Miss Congeniality cum Nancy Drew cum Legally Blonde wannabe is because like Sandra Bullock's character in the former film, Miley Cyrus' Molly Morrison has to shed her tomboyish looks and demeanor to go undercover. Instead of wanting 'world peace' like the contestants in Miss Congeniality, now, it's just a 'pearl white Bentley'. And to further prove my point let's check out these two scenes and their dialogue.  

This is from So Undercover.

Armon: This right here is your brand new Volkswagen EOS.
Molly: Come on. Can't I ride my own bike to school?
Armon: Girls your age would jump up and down at the chance to drive this thing.
Molly: Well I'm not like most girls.
Armon: Brooke Stonebridge is.
Molly: Who's Brooke Stonebridge?
Armon: It's your new identity.
Molly: Are you serious? That's not a name, it's a gated community. 
Armon: I really don't care.

And this is from Miss Congeniality. 

Eric: This earpiece lets you hear anybody on our frequencies. They can hear you.
Gracie: Don't need that with all this foil in my hair, I'll get an HBO.
Eric: This is a pin camera, actual little lens in there. Provides a digital video feed to our hookups. Alright here's your new IDs, your pageant identity. 
Gracie: Gracie Lou Freebush?
Eric: Yeah, I remember you liked that name.
Gracie: Yeah, my IQ just dropped 10 points.

Yup. So Undercover's Molly gets a make over courtesy of the FBI just like Gracie does in Miss Congeniality. Personally, I think Sandra Bullock's Gracie and her dialogue is funnier. And if you didn't like Miss Congeniality, you sure as hell won't like So Undercover. I think with a comedy, your laughs need to come hard and fast, and very often. So Undercover doesn't have that. I think it's trying to be a little too serious when they should go all out outrageous and trivial, especially with regards to the case Molly is supposed to help the FBI on. The twist did take me by surprise and I found myself laughing at the antics in the film, however, I think it complicated the film too much without a suitable payoff for all that trouble. 

The idea is simple, the case is not. Miley Cyrus' Molly is a private investigator who works with her father played by Mike O'Malley, and who since losing his job as a cop has taken to gambling and drinking. The two of them work together to expose cheating spouses until Jeremy Piven's FBI agent character Armon offers her a chance to go undercover as a college student at a sorority. So we have a 'too-young-to-be-a-private-investigator' girl, Molly Morrison, who is tasked to use her street wise deductive skills to solve a crime. Sounds awfully like Nancy Drew don't you think. 

And I'm sure you can imagine why I made the link to Legally Blonde. Sorority of course. And sisterhood. And crime. 

This is from So Undercover.

Sasha: Brooke, what is going on?
Molly: What's platinum rule number one in the Kappa chapter book?
Hunter: Never wear sweatpants.
Molly: Rule number 2.
Sasha: A sister in need comes before anything else.
Molly: Girls, we have a sister in need.

And this is from Legally Blonde.

Professor Callahan: According to this communiqué from the prison, our client apparently had a visit from her sister. A Miss Delta Nu. Anyone you know?
Elle: Yes. I went to visit her.
Professor Callahan: What the hell do you mean you went to visit her?
Elle: I went to get her alibi.
Professor Callahan: Did you get it?
Elle: Uhmm, it's really good. 
Professor Callahan: Well great, what is it?
Elle: Oh I can't tell you.
Professor Callahan: Why the hell not? 
Elle: Because I promised her I'd keep it a secret. And I can't break the bonds of sisterhood.
Professor Callahan: Screw sisterhood! This is a murder trial, not some scandal at the sorority house. I want the alibi. 
Elle: I can't give it to you, but I can tell you she's innocent.

Of course what's also similar between So Undercover and Legally Blonde is the stereotypical portrayal that sorority sisters are ditzy and materialistic and how the 'ditzy blondes' help to solve a big case. I never went to a US college, or lived in a sorority, so I don't know if what we see in films are an exaggeration or if sorority girls are like that in real life.

Nicholas: You don't go to school here do you?
Molly: Course I do. Why would you think that I don't? I'm in my late teens, I'm walking on campus, I got a pretentious name and a sparkly cellphone. 

Maybe it's because I had very little expectation, but I didn't find the film too bad. I expected it to tank, but it has it's moments. Few, but still, it has it's moments. Miley's performance is pretty decent. I didn't want to run out the door every time she appeared on screen. I think she got the ditzy character down to a pat, but the serious bits didn't resonate with me as much. I think she has a long way to go before she becomes a good lead actress. But, having said that, she has improved since her last performance, in the film LOL. 

Jeremy Piven. He is so funny as Armon in So Undercover. Unfortunately, he's not funny enough to save the film from falling short. Megan Park as the uber ditzy and insipid  Cotton is actually surprisingly not as insipid as her character is scripted. I found Cotton to be endearing and one of the characters I bonded with through the film. Sasha is the typical queen b***h of the sorority and Eloise Mumford plays her well. Kelly Osborne's character Becky seems like the odd duck in the sorority and her role in the film seems too purposeful. It feels like Becky was added into the cast just so that Kelly Osborne could play her and so that she could "help" Molly with the case in some way. I think Becky's role was too contrived and insignificant but decently portrayed by Kelly Osborne. 

Give it a try is what I'm saying. Although it's not a top notch film, it still managed to get me to root for Miley Cyrus' Molly and her sorority sisters to solve the crime and save the day. So Undercover is actually a film I am embarrassed to say I kind of enjoyed. 


(1) Tom Vaughan has directed films like Starter For 10 (2006), What Happens In Vegas (2008), and Extraordinary Measures (2010). 

(2) Miley Cyrus has acted in films like Big Fish (2003), Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009), The Last Song (2010), and LOL (2012). She is well-known for playing the role of Hannah Montana/Miley Stewart in the Disney television series Hannah Montana (2006-2011). She is also a singer who has music albums as Hannah Montana and 3 albums of her own.

(3) Jeremy Piven has acted in films like Say Anything... (1989), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), The Family Man (2000), Serendipity (2001), Rush Hour 2 (2001), Black Hawk Down (2001), Runaway Jury (2003), Scary Movie 3 (2003), Chasing Liberty (2004), Two For The Money (2005), Smokin' Aces (2006), The Kingdom (2007), RocknRolla (2008), and Spy Kids: All The Time In The World (2011). He also voice the character of Harv in the animation Cars (2006). He also played the role of Spence Kovak in the television series Ellen (1995-1998) and the role of Ari Gold in the series Entourage (2004-2011). He also guest starred in television series like Seinfield, Chicago Hope, Will & Grace, and The Twilight Zone.

(4) Mike O'Malley has acted in films like Deep Impact (1998), Pushing Tin (1999), 28 Days (2000), The Perfect Man (2005), and Eat Pray Love (2010). He also played Jimmy Hughes in the television series Yes, Dear (2000-2006) and has guest starred in television series like Law & Order, My Name Is Earl, and Glee. 

(5) Josh Bowman is known for playing Daniel Grayson in the television series Revenge (2011-present). 

(6) Megan Park is known for playing Grace Bowman in the television series The Secret Life Of The American Teenager (2008-present) and has guest starred in television series like Entourage, Happy Endings, and The Newsroom. She also acted in the film Charlie Bartlett (2007). 

(7) Alexis Knapp has acted in films like Couples Retreat (2009), Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lighting Thief (2010), and Pitch Perfect (2012).


The Eclectic Reviewer thinks... So Undercover has some entertaining bits. But watch it only if you're into Miley Cyrus, chick flicks, and the sorority-sisterhood-bond type thing. (2.3 of 5)

* Movie Poster from Wikipedia 

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The New Normal (2012)

Created by: Ryan Murphy (1) and Ali Adler

Cast: Justin Bartha (2), Andrew Rannells, Georgia King (3), Bebe Wood, Ellen Barkin, NeNe Leakes, Jayson Bair

I love the month of September because that is when all my favourite American television series come back! Also, it is the time when a horde of new television series becomes available for my viewing pleasure. I usually pick up a new television series to watch only when my friends have tried and tested it and swears that it's awesome. So by the time I get to it, the season is either nearly finished or already over. This time, as I was scouring EZTV for my favourite television shows, I decided to take a leap of faith on a couple of new series and that is when I found this gem. 

Currently The New Normal is only three episodes in and I usually give a television series about five episodes of chances before I dump 'em or keep 'em. And I got hooked in episode three! And luckily too because there's only been three episodes to watch.

I recently watched the film The Kids Are Alright which is about a lesbian couple who each gave birth to a child using the sperm of the same man so that they can have a family. I'll elaborate more about that film another time, but the reason why I bring that film up is because this television series' theme is similar. 

The New Normal is about a gay couple who decide to have a baby and do so through a surrogate. The series' main cast include the two daddies-to-be David Murray (played by Justin Bartha) and Bryan Collins (played by Andrew Rannells), their surrogate Goldie Clemmons (played by Georgia King), her daughter Shania Clemmons (played by Bebe Wood), and Goldie's grandmother Jane Forrest (played by Ellen Barkins). Nene Leakes plays Rocky who seems to be working for or with Bryan and Jayson Blair plays Clay Clemmons, Goldie's husband. 

While I still don't know if this television series will stick for me, but it's off to a good start. The characters are rather lovable but grandma Jane gets on my nerves A LOT! Throughout the first two episodes, and even through most of episode three, I've been asking myself if I could stand any more of Jane Forrest enough to continue watching The New Normal. And in the last seven minutes of episode three I fell a little in love with nana Jane Forrest. I don't want to spoil anything for you so I'll let you find out why yourself. 

Now let's talk about the casting in The New Normal. Justin Bartha first caught my eye in the film National Treasure and I have been keeping a lookout for him ever since. He sorta reminds me a little of Topher Grace, but thats beside the point. I think he's done a really great job in the role of David and I am looking forward to seeing more from him in the role. The only other person I recognised in the series is Georgia King. I remember her as the obnoxious head girl in the film Wild Child. And in all honesty I was wondering if she could pull off an American accent considering she's Scottish. That and the fact that I really didn't like her character in Wild Child and cannot shake her persona in that film from my mind. After three episodes of The New Normal, while I still think of Georgia King as Harriet, the pompous head girl in Wild Child, she is fast becoming to me, Goldie Clemmons, the young and sweet woman determined to make a better life for her daughter and herself. I've never seen the work of the other cast members but I must say that I am intrigued by all the characters in this new series and the actors who play them do a good job in the roles. 

There really isn't much to go on for now considering I've only watched three episodes, but check back from time to time to see my updates and thoughts as the series progresses. 

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

Episode 1: Having a child is a big thing. It is a decision you shouldn't take lightly. It is something that will change your whole life. That is the overall theme of this first episode. It is a pilot after all and while it does a number of expositions regarding some history of the characters, I guess it is unavoidable. In this first episode, some of the characters break the fourth wall and talk directly to the audience like side excerpts in the film He's Just Not That Into You. Initially I found it a little jarring, but I got used to it after a while. 

My favourite lines - "Face it honey, abnormal is the new normal", "Family is a family, and love is love", "You know I've delivered a thousand babies in my life and I don't think I've ever held one that's over 4 minutes old. What if I'm not ready to be a dad?", & "The baby I want to carry for David and Bryan will have two loving parents who desperately want a child, who's to say that's not normal?"

(1) Ryan Murphy has created or co-created the television series Popular (1999-2001), Nip/Tuck (2003-2007), Glee (2009-present), and American Horror Story (2011-present). He has also directed the films Running With Scissors (2006), and Eat Pray Love (2010).

(2) Justin Bartha has acted in films like  National Treasure (2004), Failure To Launch (2006), National Treasure: Book Of Secrets (2007), The Rebound (2009), The Hangover (2009), New York, I Love You (2009), and The Hangover Part II (2011).

(3) Georgia King has acted in films like Wild Child (2008), The Duchess (2008), St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold (2009), Chalet Girl (2011), and One Day (2011).   

The Eclectic Reviewer thinks… The New Normal has great potential to be a big hit. The aptly titled series feels to me like its a step in the right direction in the hopes that same-sex marriages, families with same-sex parents, and homosexuality becomes the norm on television. While the subject matter might not fly with some, I think that if you watch this with an open mind, you will realise that "family is a family, and love is love". Like any other family themed comedy series, it focuses on a parent's love for his or her child, the desire or lack of to have children, and growing up. So give it a chance and make up your own mind about it. 

* Poster from the Facebook page of The New Normal

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