Get our free weekly email for all the latest cinematic news from our film critic Clarisse Loughrey
Get our The Life Cinematic email for free
“Go shopping until you cheer up,” is the unhelpful advice given to Rebecca Gibney's distraught mum, Shirley, in a cake shop.
The plump mother feels neglected by her husband (Anthony LaPaglia's philandering mayor), her five unruly daughters and is partial to Sound of Music outbursts in her suburban garden. When Shirley takes a “holiday”, Toni Collette's mutinous nanny is called in to “fix everything”. PJ Hogan's black comedy starts promisingly before fading into sentimentality and chaos towards the finale.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Already subscribed? Log in
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies