Reeking of desperation and molded cheese Salome Breziner's Helicopter Mom is unable to shake its cliché premise and uninteresting characters. It loses its audience quickly as it proves that not all good intentions are welcome.
The film stars Nia Vardalos as Maggie Collins, an overly infested nuisance in the life of her 17-year-old son Lloyd. Unable to fully understand him, Maggie works hard to infiltrate his every move, convincing herself that he is gay when he himself hasn't fully become aware of his own sexuality. Through a series of scholarship applications Maggie outs Lloyd to his classmates. The two butt heads over the issue (and her constant overbearing presence in his life) for much of the film, leading to a prom confrontation that tries hard to tell the world that not everything can fit nicely into a box.
A great concept and a bold statement, but boy did they miss the mark on execution.
Much like its title character, Helicopter Mom is full of support, acceptance and warm wishes. However, the positives are quickly lost amongst the rubble as the film itself proves to be an enormous misfire, struggling to breath at times as it is surely destined for the DVD bargain bin soon upon release.
Vardalos, who has yet to turn out a hit since 2002's My Big Fat Greek Wedding, is embarrassingly horrendous as over-the-top Maggie. Unable to create any momentum, Vardalos' portrayal is heavily unrealistic and painfully forced as she navigates her son's life without any awareness of her actions. Her relationship with her son proves humorous during the film's opening sequence when the topic of "˜gay' is brought up on the streets of Venice Beach; however, the whole situation appears out of place, immediately creating an unclear message as you find yourself confused as to the central story arc of the film.
But I'll be honest; Vardalos isn't the one to blame for the substandard quality that accolade falls on first time screenwriter Duke Tran. Though I do applaud Tran for creating a unique and thought provoking premise, I must criticize him for his miserable attempt at a follow through. His characters are highly over-done, his dialogue amateurish, and his central conflict too easily overcome. The jokes/one-liners rely heavily on the same stereotypes that the film itself is working to object, ultimately producing a conflict of interest for all those watching on.
It's a shame really. The story had potential. Any maybe it would have been better viewed had it been a well-marketed made-for-TV movie on ABC Family. Lower expectations could have only helped you stomach the huge misunderstanding of what being gay really means. As it sits, Helicopter Mom is a film that offers up a few small moments of decency, a highly unappealing performance from its lead and a story arc that definitely deserves better.
