Python Hyena Raising Helen (2004): Dir: Garry Marshall / Cast: Kate Hudson, Joan Cusack, John Corbett, Helen Mirren, Felicity Huffman: Counting the nose hairs of the person sitting next to me at the screening of this boring piece of crap is more entertaining than watching it. Cliché filled boring crap about growing up. It stars Kate Hudson as Helen Harris who works at a modelling agency until given the news that her sister and husband died in a car accident. Or maybe they just realized what a bad career move appearing in this film would be and just plainly skipped town. The three children are left to Helen much to her surprise and that of her older sister who already has children. We can expect difficulties balanced with work and blah, blah, blah who cares. Directed by Garry Marshall who previously made Pretty Woman. His films often examine relationships within work but here his screenplay is by the numbers. Hudson does as expected and it isn't any more exciting than the dozens of others before her who played the same role. Joan Cusack as her older sister is another wasted appearance. John Corbett as Pastor Dan is underwritten. Helen Mirren is wasted as her employer. Felicity Huffman plays Helen's sister and together they are about as interesting as a toothpaste commercial. The responsibility theme is surrenders to stupidity. The film will be lucky if it can raise eye lids let alone Helen. Score: 2 / 10

Imdbidia The story of Helen, a young independent career woman who sees his life changed after becoming the guardian of the three children of her late sister.The story is explored in a superficial dull way, and the director seems not to have clear in his mind where to inject drama or humor. He's too ambitious as he wants it all - drama, romance and comedy. The result is disaster. On the other hand, the casting agency should be fired as most actors in this movie don't deliver or are miscast. The story needed of a little bit more of dramatic depth, which would have been there if the actors had done their job properly.Kate Hudson plays the same character once more, the same sort of chick, makes the same sort of faces, in this movie or in any other, that's why the viewer doesn't believe her in her role. The same happens to Jon Corbett (so hot on the other hand :D) who is unable to bring the seriousness and warmth of spirit that the role of Pastor Dan Parker requires. I was surprised at finding Helen Mirren in a movie like this, absolutely miscast. The only good acting in the movie is by the always believable Joan Cussak, playing Helen's oldest sister, and the talented child actor Abigail Breslin, playing the youngest of the siblings.The movie has some good elements and a good story line, but it is all wasted by a poor direction and some bad performances.

Jackson Booth-Millard From director Garry Marshall (Pretty Woman), I had heard this title a couple of times in places, so I decided I might as well give it a go. Basically modelling agent Helen Harris (Kate Hudson, daughter of Goldie Hawn) has her life changed after the death of her sister and brother-in-law in a car crash. In her sister's will, her children are wanted in the custody of Helen instead of her more responsible elder sister Jenny Portman (Joan Cusack), who has kids herself. But Helen has no choice, and soon enough, she learns how hard it is to look after fifteen year old Audrey (Heroes' Hayden Panettiere), ten year old Henry (The Cat in the Hat's Spencer Breslin) and five year old Sarah (Little Miss Sunshine's Abigail Breslin, and Spencer's real sister). Helen does find help with handsome young Pastor Dan Parker (John Corbett), also the kids' principal. In the end, Jenny, originally quite resentful of Helen being chosen instead of her, understands the sister's decision, and Helen gets her job as modelling agent back from Dominique (Dame Helen Mirren), and she, Dan and the kids get their happy ending. Also starring Felicity Huffman as Lindsay Davis, Hector Elizondo as Mickey Massey, Sakina Jaffrey as Nilma Prasad, Kevin Kilner as Ed Portman, Amber Valletta as Martina, Paris Hilton as Amber and The Nutty Professor's Larry Miller as Car Buyer. Hudson is beautiful and a spirited performer, Cusack does well as her concerned older sister, and Mirren adds a little zing in her little moments, a good story that can probably be appreciated by all the family. Worth watching!

usersince03 I first saw this when I bought this is on DVD a while ago. It was a great film but there were some sad bits. It is about the death of Paul and Lindsay who left her youngest sister Helen to be guardian of her three children Audrey, Sarah and Henry. The one thing that annoyed me about this film was Joan Cusack's character Jenny, the character got on my nerves I found her smug when Helen gave the kids to her after Audrey went to the hotel with the boy from her high school. Abigail Breslin was adorable as the youngest child Sarah, Spencer Breslin and Hayden Paniettere were great as the older siblings Audrey and Henry. Helen Mirren was great as Helen's boss Dominique.