Customer Reviews

Raising Helen [VHS]

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(15)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

Helen finds herself in a situation she is not familiar with. After her sister's death, she is given custody of the three children. She has always been the party girl, but now she in the position of being a mom, and has no idea how to do it. This is a good film that touches on many issues. How to deal with loss, and how to raise children being at the forefront. Kate Hudson was well chosen to play Helen. You really get the feeling that she was completely out of her element being an authority figure with the kids.

Like most red-blooded American males, this reviewer doesn't usually go for this kind of show, but I thought it was one my wife would really enjoy so I took her out to see it. To my utmost surprise, "Raising Helen" was a hit with both of us and one I can readily recommend to any prospective watcher.

"Raising Helen" is the story of a carefree New York fashion agent played perfectly by Kate Hudson whose life is turned upside down when her sister and brother-in-law are tragically killed in a car accident, leaving behind three stunned children in need of a parent. Helen expects the children to go to her big sister Jenny, Supermom, but to everyone's shock the will makes the inexperienced and flighty Helen the kids' guardian. Totally unprepared, Helen must learn what it takes to be a mom in a hurry--and ultimately if it's all really even worth it.

Three-fifths light family fare and two-fifths bittersweet drama, "Raising Helen" is a touching, funny, and poignant portrayal of maturation and self-discovery. Hudson is perfectly cast and shines throughout, and John Corbett is likewise excellent as a fully-realized pastor at the kids' school whose unexpected attentions throw yet another monkey wrench--ableit a positive one--into Helen's spinning world. Combining romance, comedy, and drama in a suprisingly effective mix, "Raising Helen" is worth seeing at least once by anybody. Go see it and remember how important love and family are to your own life!

Raising Helen is a heartwarming story of an aunt learning how to raise her sister's three children. Starring Kate Hudson, Felicity Hoffman and Sean O'Brian, this will be a movie the whole family will enjoy.
After the unexpected death of her sister and brother in law, Helen Harris (Kate Hudson) finds out that she is now the primary caregiver for her sister's three children. But along with her job, fifteen year old Audrey, ten year old Henry and five year old Sarah are quite a handful. This comes as shocking news and trying to balance her job at a modeling agency and her hot nightlife is more than she can handle. Her other sister, Jenny, an already devoted mother, is unhappy that her sister, Lindsey, didn't leave her with the responsibility of raising her kids. She knows that Helen is not ready for the responsibility of being a mother. She has to help Helen learn the responsibilities of being a mom.
Despite some moments with a defiant teen and some mild profanities, this movie is a romantic comedy and demonstrates how a "family" can include more than just the people who share your genetics. Raising Helen is a heartwarming movie recommended for the whole family.

A tip: watch Raising Helen the first time by yourself. I bawled at several points during this movie and that surprised me because I usually don't do that. I like how Kate Hudson's Helen grows up during the movie, at first she is career-oriented and likes to party, but she ends up settled at the end. The two younger kids in this movie are adorable and the oldest would cause any parent anxiety. Joan Cusack and John Corbett turn in awesome performances as well, Joan with her trademark subtle humor and John as the sexy pastor of the kids school. One of the funniest parts is the Inter-Faith hockey league (whoever came up with the names was very clever) and Helen's neighbor in Queens (and her baseball bat). All of the characters are well-written and the story really is touching, I felt a connection to all of the characters.

This movie was far above my expectations. This story surrounds Helen (Kate Hudson) who works at a modeling agency. Everything is going well for her until she finds out her sister and her husband died in a car crash and they left in their will custody of their three children to Helen. Helen first thinks this is absurd because her older sister has children and is more mother like than she, but she ends up taking them in. She learns how to be a mom and things go wrong. She has never had to take care of kids ever. Kate Hudson does another fantastic performance. She fits the part perfectly. When I went in to see this movie, I knew it was going to be sad, but not so sad. I almost cried. I think everyone should go see this movie, especially moms. It has a few inappropriate parts, but not very bad at all. It just has some issues about growing up. This movie was excellent!! I am so impressed. Go see it everyone!!

I was at the Library the other day to pick up a book I had on hold. I always like to walk by the DVD section to see if there is anything good available. Hey, its a free DVD rental!

Well I saw Raising Helen and figured my wife would like to watch it. She really liked How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.

I have to admit I really liked it. I was completely surprised. I just figured it would be a silly comedy. Who knew it would involve such tragedy. Maybe I'm just turning into a chick flick kind of guy, but I would recommend this movie for a "feel good" evening.

This is a VERY sweet movie about a girl who is very into her own life, and enjoys not really growing up. She was like the best aunt, she loved her family, and they loved her! But when a tragic accident occurs, she is left with her sisters 3 kids. She has to learn what is important in life, what matters most, how to be a mom, and how to live with 3 other kids, one that likes the bathroom as much as she does! Its a very sweet, heart-warming movie that anyone can enjoy!

Helen Harris (Kate Hudson) is a 20-something-year-old woman who's living the high life in New York City. She has a glamorous job at a modeling agency and enjoys clubbing with her friends and dating hot guys. However, when her sister and brother-in-law are killed in a car accident, Helen finds herself the newly-appointed guardian of her two nieces and nephew.

Obviously, raising three children results in some pretty drastic changes to Helen's lifestyle. Her Manhattan apartment isn't big enough for four people, and the only place Helen can afford is an apartment in Queens. Also, Helen's boss (Helen Mirren) isn't very understanding when the children disrupt a fashion show and deface a popular model with permanent markers, so Helen loses her job and has to settle for working at a used (excuse me...PREVIOUSLY OWNED) car dealership. It's nearly impossible for Helen to maintain any kind of social life with three kids at home, but she does form an unlikely relationship with Pastor Dan (John Corbett), the principal of the kids' school. In addition to all that, there are all the usual stresses that come along with being a mom which Helen has never experienced before. The three kids (Hayden Panettiere, Spencer Breslin, and Abigail Breslin) are all adjusting to life without their parents and life with their crazy Aunt Helen, so it's a big adjustment for everyone involved. Plus, Helen's older sister Jenny (Joan Cusack) is miffed that she wasn't asked to serve as guardian of the kids, and she usually doesn't make Helen feel very good about herself.

This is a really cute movie that is also very bittersweet and sentimental. We see the way the deaths of two people profoundly affect every member of their family. The kids all start acting out in their own way, and both sisters are also coping with their grief and adjusting to a new way of doing things. Hudson delivers an excellent performance as a woman who struggles to accept the changes to her life that go along with being a mother, but ultimately realizes that the sacrifices are nothing compared to the joy she experiences when she spends time with the kids.

"Raising Helen" is pretty predictable in places, but it boasts an outstanding cast and a sweet story about a girl who finally learns how to grow up and raise a family. (I could have done without all the Paris Hilton cameos, but whatever.) This is a fun movie that I definitely recommend.

Parenthood. An adoptive parent once told me that biological parents have 9 months to prepare for a child, often longer. Adoptive parents can hope, but nothing's a done deal til the child arrives.

It's got to be even worse for people who inherit their kids from a family member.

Helen (Katie Holmes) was the go-to girl at her modeling agency if you wanted a model placed at a popular club or a table at a fabulous restaurant. She had it all--a glamorous life in New York City, a great apartment, a fab job--and she was even dating a Ralph Lauren underwear model.

That is, until her sister died and left her three children with her. Helen did have a choice. She could cede the kids to her older sister, Jenny (Joan Cusack) who'd raised her after their mother died. But her sister chose her first so she had to try.

"Raising Helen's" a family friendly comedy about grief and reshaping your family. Mostly the show was typical Gary Marshall fare, which isn't bad, it just may not be to everyone's taste. This film was a rental for me and probably a one-time view.

I love this type of movie, knew I would from the description. A family of three sisters - a fun-loving mom, a dour mom, and a single carefree modeling agent (Hudson). When the fun-loving parents are killed in an accident, the kids are left to...Helen (Kate Hudson) instead of the dour sister with kids. This is the story - how she copes/doesn't cope, how the kids react, how she learns to weigh family, friends, job & find romance in the end.

She (of course) must quit her high-paying job, move to Queens, get a new job (used car sales) & meet Dan, a sexy Lutheran pastor who runs the school where the children attend. The usual chaos ensues along with child-rearing angst (the part we parents love) until an expected happy resolution. Yes, it is trite and totally predictable and soapy and yet it is better than 90% of what is offered today in movie houses. If you want to be entertained for a couple of hours this is the movie to get.