Product Details

• Actors: Scarlett Johansson, Laura Linney, Paul Giamatti, Donna Murphy, John Henry Cox
• Directors: Robert Pulcini, Shari Springer Berman
• Writers: Robert Pulcini, Shari Springer Berman, Emma McLaughlin, Nicola Kraus
• Producers: Bob Weinstein, Dany Wolf
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Weinstein Company
• DVD Release Date: December 4, 2007
• Run Time: 105 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (71 customer reviews)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B000VKL6T8
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #14,772 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "The Nanny Diaries (Widescreen Edition)" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Based on the best-selling book of the same name, the film version of The Nanny Diaries is a cute chick flick, but it lacks the witty tone of the novel, which took time to flesh out the characters. The tone is set early on when the narrator notes, "In Africa they have the saying: 'It takes a village to raise a child.' But for the tribe of the Upper Eastside of Manhattan, it takes just one person: the nanny." Recent college graduate Annie Braddock (a brunette Scarlett Johansson) becomes the nanny for Mr. and Mrs. X, a narcissistic and selfish couple who have no clue that what their precocious son Grayer really needs is a mom and a dad who will pay attention to him. At first, Annie can't believe her good fortune. Caring for Grayer a few hours each day in the X's luxurious apartment seems like a dream job. But as her job turns into a 24/7 nightmare, she loses her identity and becomes Nanny. Annie's attempts to befriend her oddly charismatic boss are met with rebuffs by Mrs. X (Laura Linney). When Annie mentions her home life, Mrs. X is stunned. "Nanny, you never mentioned you had a mother," she says, as if she expected that nannies were shot out of giant pods. Despite the film's flaws, Linney is a standout. Like Meryl Streep, who made an unlikeable character sympathetic in The Devils Wears Prada, Linney brings humor to her role. Unfortunately, Paul Giamatti (as the philandering Mr. X) and singer Alicia Keys (as Annie's best friend Lynette) are wasted in their thankless roles. While we are meant to feel sorry for Annie, we are left wondering why a beautiful and educated young American woman would allow herself to be manipulated into working ridiculous hours for less than minimum-wage pay. When Annie finally does stand up to her employers, it's a little too late. For everyone. --Jae-Ha Kim

Product Description

Annie is a young girl from a working-class neighborhood who suddenly finds herself working as a nanny for wealthy family in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Between catering to the every whim of her employers and their precocious son and falling in love with their gorgeous neighbor, Annie tries to figure out what she wants to do with her life.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 22 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Not half as good as it wants you to think it is September 10, 2007

By Terry Mesnard VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

The Nanny Diaries fits into the same category as The Devil Wears Prada. Both feature women who take a plunge into a society that's not prepared for them and, more importantly, they aren't prepared for. In the Devil Wears Prada, the target is fashion. Here, the target is more broad: upper class Manhattanites with no time for their families.

The movie owes even more to The Devil Wears Prada (including a brief snippet that features the main character reading the novel in a wink-wink, nudge-nudge homage) and contains, unfortunately, none of the spark and cutting edge that the former had. Here we have the always beautiful Scarlett Johansson as an Anthropology student named Annie who is uncertain about her future and what she wants to be in the real world. Instead of facing the future, she stumbles upon Mrs. X (played with icy chill by Laura Linney) who mistakes her name Annie as "nanny" and immediately the park seems crowded with Manhattanites who want her services.

Long story short, she gets the job and, like a certain fashionista, discovers she bit off more than she can chew. Along the route, she meets the "Harvard Hottie" (Chris Evans) and the lecherous and incredibly creepy Mr. X (played by Paul Giamatti in a role very unlike his others) and learns about love, life and the importance of "following your dreams"(tm).

While the story is humorous in parts and I really enjoyed the framing as an anthropology experiment where it's Annie looking from the outside in and learning about this absolutely foreign culture, it suffers from pacing problems. The beginning was amusing and fun and so was the ending. How they got there, though, was not worth the time.... Director Shari Springer Berman worked magic in her adaptation of American Splendor (also featuring Paul Giamatti), but none of that spark is found here.

I will say it has a great cast. Paul Giamatti is terrific as is Laura Linney, who I've always enjoyed. Even Chris Evans who has come a long way from his roots in Not Another Teen Movie is enjoyable. This strong cast led by the always pretty Scarlett Johansson really helps the movie and carry the film. Unfortunately, their parts don't truly resonate the way they should. I think this is what separates this movie from The Devil Wears Prada. Whereas the characters in Prada felt real and carried a spark, here they merely feel like caricatures.

There's some really cute and good scenes, but overall it's too little too late, especially when faced with the tremendously better The Devil Wears Prada of last year. I'd recommend waiting for a renter.

Cute, for what it is. Read more ›

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Nanny and the City September 22, 2007

By mikey mike

Format:DVD

-I knew absolutely nothing about this movie going in. Didn't know who was in it or what it was going to be about. To my surprise I enjoyed the well made movie very much. It had great acting, a solid story, and whiles not being original had it's own unique charms that makes it a very enjoyable movie.

-The movie tells the story of Annie who is a recent graduate plucked into a world she wasn't expecting. She plans to be a financial consultant or something like that but ends being a nanny by chance. The rest of the movie follows her on her adventure as she learns what it takes to be a nanny in NY, and also learns what it takes to survive life.

-The film-making technique is not necessarily an original one in which the main character narrates the whole story but what helps in this one is that it's quite an entertaining narration and she doesn't narrate the whole movie so it does help. The odd visual style is also nicely done with some unique effects and one really weird scene in which we see Annie flying through New York all Mary Poppins style.

-Scarlett Johansson is building quite an impressive resume with this brilliant movie. Last year she was great in "The Prestige" and now this year she knocks it out of the park in this. I unlike 99.7% of men don't find her hot nor do I fantasize about her, but she is a very good actress and I hope she gets more roles that showcases her acting assets like this one did. She plays her character with a sweet down to earth nature that really makes you root for her all the way. I didn't think at the start of this year that one of my favorite movie characters would be a nanny but alas that is the case here. Singer turned actress Alicia Keys plays the best friend Lynette.... She's not featured an awful lot in the movie, but the small doses of her are well acted.

-Laura Linney plays the cold and kinda misunderstood Mrs. X. Yeah she seems like shrewd cold hearted woman when we first meet her, but after getting to know her husband Mr. X played the great Paul Giamatti, we begin to understand why she does certain things that she does. Linney has one great scene towards the end of the movie in which she realizes what horrible mother she has been and the way Linney plays that scene is truly stuff of great acting. Instead of going all over emotional, she simply just lets a tear fall down her face and that simple tear just nails everything she's feeling at that moment. Paul Giamatti also does a great job in this as the a**hole husband and whiles not his best performance, he's still dynamite as always.

-At the end of the day I really enjoyed this fun movie. It had comedy, romance, child abuse and life lessons. It may not have great replay value but the first viewing should please everyone that watches it.

Recommended Read more ›

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Didn't Want to See it, Glad I Did... May 30, 2009

By Kelly Klepfer VINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD

I had no intention of seeing this flick. My daughter, who spent a few years as a nanny, didn't care for it. And I didn't know what to expect. But at the video store, with coupon in hand and slim pickings, I rented it.

I ended up being charmed by the unique quirkiness of this film. Nanny Diaries includes a hint of Mary Poppins along with a museum-type look at family norms and not so norms throughout the movie. This film has elements of terrible sadness and that is why my daughter didn't like it. The viewer gets to see the inside of a very unhealthy family. Annie (Johannson) doesn't come from much healthier stock with a mom who is over-bearing and hard to please and a father who is a non-figure in her life.

Annie hits her crossroad moment when a potential new employer asks her who she is. Annie discovers who she is by her short time as a nanny.

I was impressed with the total lack of on-screen sexuality. Annie has a behind closed doors moment with a kissing scene leading up to it and Mr. X is in two compromising situations that mostly play out off camera. One or two F-Bombs and a smattering of the usual curse words give it the PG-13.

I was pleased with the ending and overall really liked this film. The acting is very good, Giamatti was very easy to despise and Linney played her role as vulnerable selfish socialite flawlessly.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Feel-good movie. November 24, 2007

By Michiru

Format:DVD

The basic story: Annie, a recently graduated Anthropology student, panics under the pressure her mother is putting on her to become a businesswoman. Hoping to get some downtime and get her head together, Annie takes a job as a nanny with "Mr. and Mrs. X" for their son Greyer.

Mr. and Mrs. X, as you might guess, are appalling people (think the Real Housewives of Orange County) who mistreat their son and are far more concerned about image than reality. Annie, who grows to love and pity Greyer, finds that she's become his sole emotional support, and so puts up with all the abuse Mrs. X dishes out, as well as the creepy advances of Mr. X (who is a lecher, though Mrs. X is desperately in denial) in order to support him.

All of this was very poignant and realistic. However, it seems like the filmmakers wanted to make a feel good movie, and the above is not feel-good material. Thus, a plastic romantic interest and an ending where everyone learns their lesson is added in to assure the audience that it's all in good fun. I was left very skeptical of how quickly various characters came to momentous decisions.

Still, Nanny Diaries is a movie with a lot going for it. The acting is wonderful throughout, with Mr. and Mrs. X (played by Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney) in particular giving very vivid performances. There are also a few cute and funny scenes scattered inbetween the depressing bits of Mrs. X being a shrew and Mr. X cheating.

Nanny Diaries is a movie worth seeing, but don't be surprised if the ending makes you feel a bit blindsided.