THE ADDAMS’ FAMILY VALUES
Starring:
-Anjelica Huston
-Raul Julia
-Christopher Lloyd
-Joan Cusack
-Christina Ricci
Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld
Screenplay Credits: Paul Rudnick
MPAA Rating: PG-13
In an attempt to keep Pugsley and Wednesday from killing the new baby, Morticia and Gomez hire a beautiful new nanny, Debbie (Cusack). Wednesday’s no fool and thinks something’s amiss with Debbie. Since Wednesday is clearly on to her, Debbie convinces Morticia and Gomez that the kids want to go to summer camp. The camp counselors are none other than Christine Baranski and that annoying guy who stole Sigourney Weaver’s baby in Ghostbusters II. Another camper is that adorable little Jewish kid whose name escapes me. He and Wednesday are instantly attracted.
Back at home, Debbie is caring for young baby Pubert (I know, right?) and attempting to woo Uncle Fester. We learn that she is a dangerous criminal known only as The Black Widow. She marries wealthy men and murders them on their wedding night and poor Fester is her next victim. They quickly become engaged. Wednesday gets the news at camp, freaks, and tries to escape. The counselors catch them and sing Kumbaya at them.
Wednesday brings little Jewish Joel with her to the wedding. Debbie is an evil vision in white, but she’s clearly put off by Cousin Itt, who serves as minister for the affair. Wednesday catches the bouquet and Debbie and Fester go on to the honeymoon. Eventually, Debbie gives up on trying to kill him since everything she tries fails.
Back at camp, the counselors manage to break the outcasts spirits by cruel subjection to THE SOUND OF MUSIC, THE BRADY BUNCH, and ANNIE. When they finally emerge the happy hut, Wednesday smiles. She goes on to ruin the counselors’ big Thanksgiving themed pageant. She and Pugsley escape to save Fester from Debbie.
Debbie straps the family into electric chairs to show them a slideshow of all her previous murders. Baby Pubert saws his way out of his crib and comes to rescue the family. Debbie winds up getting electrocuted. Sad day, but happy ending.
I think I like this one better than the first. There were a lot more celebrity cameos, and the storyline is just better. Carol Kane plays the Granny this time, but she’s only recognizable by her voice. It would be interesting to see Pubert’s personality as he grows, but I have a feeling he would turn out like Wednesday and be a mastermind. Poor Pugsley is kind of a dull lump of dough. Still, you have to give him props for surviving all of Wednesday’s attempts to kill him.
Fun fact: Tony Shaloub plays Jorge the sailor and young Cynthia Nixon is an environmentalist nanny.
FINAL GRADE: B+
Off in search of mon cher,
M.
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I remember watching this at the Hamilton theatre with my mom and we both died laughing at Joan Cusack doing her famous laugh when she's in the car thinking about dead Fester
ReplyDeleteWe also laughed at the bar part when she dances with the sailors to Macho Men by the Village People cause I had to dance to that in the school play.