Anyone thinking that "Georgia Rule" is similar to all other Lindsay Lohan films, steer clear of the theater. It's not a film for children; it's not the happy-go-lucky film that is portrayed in the trailers.
The only reason anyone would really want to go see this film happens to be because of a small letter from the CEO of Morgan Creek Productions to Lohan scolding her for bad behavior. Was it a real letter of reprimand? Or was it the perfect form of publicity? Could be either, actually.
Mimicking Lohan's real life, oddly, "Georgia Rule" depicts the life of a rebellious girl, Rachel (Lohan) being shipped off to her no nonsense grandmother Georgia's (Jane Fonda) house by her mother Lilly (Felicity Huffman).
Rachel's attitude and naughty behavior has finally gotten to her mother. In order to gain a bit of control, she thinks that a little time in the town that she fled as a girl may have a better impression on her daughter than California.
Rachel doesn't take to Idaho well. She's willing to stir up quite a bit of trouble, including seducing good Mormon boy Harlan (Garrett Hedlund). But it's the secret that she lets out that sends her family into an uproar.
She tells her boss, Simon (Dermot Mulroney), she was molested as a girl. Whether or not she's telling the truth or just saying such things to get some attention causes more problems for the three generations of women than they asked for.
The quick turnaround from the happy film into dark escapade makes the film that was ascending into enjoyable film into one that came crashing down.
It's not surprising that Lohan pulled diva moves when it came to being on this set. She's playing a diva throughout the film, so why not do it in real life? The role isn't too big of a departure from her previous films, but she doesn't really get to act. She needs more roles that can show off her acting abilities rather than just her flesh and shriek.
For Fonda, "Georgia Rule" is just an extension of her "Monster-In-Law" role. She's funny, she drops an F-bomb and she's likeable as a grandmother willing to stuff a bar of soap in your mouth to make a point. Huffman, on the other hand, is above this film. Sure she does funny mom on "Desperate Housewives" and has some great lines in "Georgia Rule," but "Transamerica" should have sent her looking for something more than a fluffy two-dimensional character.
By far, the one-liners that the scriptwriters threw in were pieces of genius wasted.
The subtleness of Lohan's clothing was quite intriguing though. If it had been a better film, it could be quite the case study. Her everyday clothing consisted primarily of white pieces. When she got dressed up for moments of seduction, she was clothed in dark colors -- blue and red. It's a nuanced way of getting across the point that her character has an innocence about her even though she acts mature.
Some people have said this is Lohan's "Gigli," and it's hard not to agree. It's not her worst film, not her best film, but her outside life does overshadow her work. But "Georgia Rule" isn't as interesting as some of that off-camera action.
Originally from Des Plaines, Ill., Heather moved to Milwaukee to earn a B.A. in journalism from Marquette University. With a tongue-twisting last name like Leszczewicz, it's best to go into a career where people don't need to say your name often.
However, she's still sticking to some of her Illinoisan ways (she won't reform when it comes to things like pop, water fountain or ATM), though she's grown to enjoy her time in the Brew City.
Although her journalism career is still budding, Heather has had the chance for some once-in-a-lifetime interviews with celebrities like actor Vince Vaughn and actress Charlize Theron, director Cameron Crowe and singers Ben Kweller and Isaac Hanson of '90s brother boy band Hanson.
Heather's a self-proclaimed workaholic but loves her entertainment. She's a real television and movie fanatic, book nerd, music junkie, coffee addict and pop culture aficionado.
