Raising Helen

At its heart, Raising Helen may be another shopworn story of a harried, young Cosmopolitan Career Gal overdue for a cosmic life lesson about her priorities, but it's better than its cliché-buttressed chick-flick exterior. Kate Hudson plays the title character, a chic Manhattan modeling agent whose rising star is shot down when three kids are thrust upon her after her sister dies. In fact, right when Hollywood convention dictates that Helen should step up to the plate as surrogate parent to cue the treacly finale, she unexpectedly chokes, and her resentful other sister--a suburban housewife played by Joan Cusack (who finds a deep reservoir of humor in her soccer mom frustrations)--has to come to Helen's rescue. Despite having several strikes against it going in--the threat of cloying sentimentalism, the habitually hackneyed track records of Hudson (Alex & Emma, Le Divorce, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days) and director Garry Marshall (Beaches, Pretty Woman, Dear God)--Raising Helen defeated my natural cynicism by being, well, natural. Recommended. [Note: Available in both widescreen and full screen versions, DVD extras include audio commentary (by director Garry Marshall, and writers Beth Rigazio, Michael Begler, and Jack Amiel), six deleted scenes with bookend onscreen commentary by Marshall (14 min.), a five-minute blooper reel, the music video “Extraordinary” by Liz Phair, and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a solid comedy.] (R. Blackwelder)