Raising Helen (2004)
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A carefree executive assistant is forced to trade her lavish lifestyle for the responsibilities of raising her sister's children.
The story
Helen Harris, an executive assistant with a lavish, carefree lifestyle in Manhattan, is shocked to discover she has been appointed the legal guardian of her sister Lindsay's three children following a fatal car accident. Forced to abandon her wild habits, Helen moves to Queens to raise the children on her own. However, she quickly struggles with the transition, leading to her being fired from her job and a falling out with her sister Jenny. As Helen attempts to navigate the challenges of motherhood while dealing with her own identity crisis, she seeks help from a local pastor to bond with the kids.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Helen Harris, a high-flying executive assistant in Manhattan, lives a carefree life until her sister Lindsay and brother-in-law Paul die in a car accident. Helen is stunned to learn she is the legal guardian of Lindsay's three children: 15-year-old Audrey, 10-year-old Henry, and 5-year-old Sarah. Moving to Queens, Helen struggles to balance her old habits with her new responsibilities, eventually losing her job and becoming a car dealership receptionist. Her relationship with her sister Jenny sours over parenting styles. While dating Dan Parker, a pastor who helps her bond with the kids, Helen faces a crisis when Audrey disappears after prom and is found at a motel with an older boyfriend. Terrified, Helen gives the children back to Jenny. However, Helen realizes she is unhappy without them and tries to reclaim custody. After a tense standoff, Jenny reveals a letter from Lindsay explaining that Helen was chosen because her personality mirrors Lindsay's. Accepting her role, Helen takes the children back, and they begin their new life together.
- First release year
- 2004
- Runtime (minutes)
- 119
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Garry Marshall
- Writers
- Jack Amiel · screenplay; Michael Begler · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Kate Hudson · Helen Harris; John Corbett · Dan Parker; Joan Cusack · Jenny; Hayden Panettiere · Audrey; Spencer Breslin · Henry; Abigail Breslin · Sarah; Helen Mirren · Lindsay
- Genres
- comedy-drama
- Themes
- Family dynamics; Motherhood; Responsibility vs. Freedom
- Tone and mood
- Comedy; Drama
- Premise and plot tags
- Family; Fashion; Romantic Comedy
- Reception
- The film received mostly negative reviews from critics and was a box office bomb, grossing less than its production budget. It was described by critics as 'shallow and formulaic as a sitcom.'
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 25% · review count: 133; Metacritic · score: 38 · scale: 100 · review count: 34
- Production trivia
- The 1980 Devo song 'Whip It' was featured in the film.; The film was preceded by an animated short film from Walt Disney Feature Animation titled Lorenzo.; The film was not released on Blu-ray.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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