What Do The Critics Say?

"The movie belongs to Linney, who brings a full-blooded dimension to what could have been a misogynistic cutout. Holding one's own opposite her is no mean feat, but Johansson acquits herself well." Ken Fox TV GUIDES MOVIE GUIDE "As The Nanny Diaries wobbles along uncertainly, it rests on the tense, squared shoulders of Laura Linney." Stephen Holden NEW YORK TIMES "This is such a chick flick that prolonged exposure could be injurious to a man's health." Tony Medley TONYMEDLEY.COM "Here's an average comedy about a nanny that's a little naughty, a little nice, and a little above average." Linda Cook QUAD CITY TIMES "There's a good movie buried inside The Nanny Diaries, and a good cast trying hard to dig it out. Too bad they don't get much help." Rick Groen GLOBE & MAIL

"The Nanny Diaries has been rendered unexpectedly enjoyable and engaging by good casting and performances, and superior writing and direction." Terry Lawson DETROIT FREE PRESS "On the upside, we get a closeup of Johansson's panties, which should be worth the price of admission for many." Jim Lane SACRAMENTO NEWS & REVIEWS "While there aren't any tour-de-force performances, Nanny is still modestly entertaining." Wesley Lovell OSCAR GUY "While the film has its bright moments, The Nanny Diaries never effectively gets a good read on the subject." Gary Brown HOUSTON COMMUNITY NEWSPAPERS "The Nanny Diaries delivers some highly entertaining moments but I expected so much more from Berman and Pulcini at the helm of this adaptation." Beth Accomando KPBS ORG

The Inside Story In 2002, the satirical novel "The Nanny Diaries" was published to critical acclaim, blockbuster sales, and a substantial degree of notoriety. The book’s controversy was inspired by the fact that its authors, Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus, had spent a combined eight years working as babysitters in Manhattan, for over thirty families. As their novel presented a scathing and hilarious portrayal of an astronomically affluent Park Avenue family, the media began whispering, "who’s the book really about?" Months before the hoopla, the book’s film rights were purchased by Producer Richard N Gladstein ("Finding Neverland" and "The Cider House Rules") and his associate Gary Binkow ("Bitter Harvest" and "Finding Neverland"), for Miramax. "It was just as good an idea when we first read it," says Gladstein," but it obviously puts a different responsibility on us as filmmakers once so many people have read the book, we have to get it right. But our intention all along was to make our own film." Gladstein had become friendly with screenwriter/directors Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini when he met with them about a screenplay they had previously written. He approached them about writing the screenplay for "The Nanny Diaries", and subsequently, to direct as well. Berman and Pulcini's previous film "American Splendour" starred Independent Spirit Award winner Paul Giamatti and portrayed the humdrum life of Cleveland file clerk Harvey Pekar. Far removed from Upper Manhattan one would think. "We really liked that the setting was so drastically different," says Pulcini. "It was very appealing to jump into a completely different world." "I’m a native New Yorker," says Springer Berman, "and I could tell that the women who wrote the book were real New Yorkers; it wasn’t a fantasy from someone who lives someplace else. It was truthful, and a very interesting portrait of a subculture that I found fascinating." The novel also connected to a theme that the directors have been fascinated with throughout their career. "The book is about work," says Springer Berman. "Harvey Pekar spends a lot of time talking about his boring job, and even our documentaries, like "The Last Days Of Chasen's" are about work environments. A nanny is a job that is often invisible; I felt we could tap into that. Right after I graduated from college, I got a job working for a husband and wife screenwriting, producing team. I worked out of their home and got totally entrenched in their lives. I wasn’t a nanny, but it was a very nanny-like situation. For me, it was a point in my life to duck out and not have to make any decisions. When I read the book, it appealed to me to write a script about a phase, which I think most young people go through, where they don’t know who they are yet." A big challenge Springer Berman and Pulcini faced in translating the novel into a film was that much of the story was told through Annie’s inner thoughts. Annie is an observer at this point in her life. Perhaps the most notable change from the novel is that the contrast between Annie’s home life and the X’s was heightened. "In the book, the class difference was pretty subtle," says Pulcini. "Shari and I felt that if she was more of a bridge and tunnel girl it would be more interesting, as the environment she throws herself into would be more of a culture shock." Springer Berman and Pulcini turned to one of America’s leading young actresses, New York born and raised Scarlett Johansson, to play Annie. "Scarlett has been great at playing a glamorous role, or a vixen, but prior to "Scoop", I don’t think movies have taken advantage of her comic ability," says Springer Berman. "People underestimate how terrific she is at playing an ordinary person with insecurities. She’s also very good at physical comedy; her pratfalls were amazing." "Scarlett has great wit, great timing, and is also a great dramatic actress," say Pulcini. "We’ve always admired her and imagined her in the role." "Annie’s not quite like anybody I’ve ever played," says Johansson. "Even though she’s sort of lost; and I’ve done characters like that before, she’s quite confident in herself as a woman. I think that’s the difference between her and someone like Charlotte in "Lost In Translation". There’s also a youthfulness to her that’s different from my other characters." 2005 Glitter Award Winner Laura Linney ("Kinsey") was cast as the spoiled socialite Mrs X. "It was great to cast Laura in a role where she can be really glamorous," says Springer Berman. "I think she has this person in her, but I don’t think she’s played that role a lot." "Laura is a great actress but she wasn’t an obvious choice," says Pulcini. "People associate her with more earthy roles, but she actually grew up on the East Side." "I didn’t grow up inside the world of Mrs X, but I certainly saw a lot of it," says Linney. "I went to a school where many of the girls were daughters of Mrs X-types. I’m more aware of this lifestyle now than when I was younger, but I certainly saw glimpses of it then." 2005 and 2006 Broadcast Film Critics Association Award winner Paul Giamatti was cast as the films bad guy Mr X. Giamatti, who has multiple degrees from Yale including a Master's Degree in Fine Arts says he doesn't mind playing the bad guy. "I actually like playing the bad guy," he said. "It’s fun. I pop in every now and then and bark at somebody or do something creepy. Mr. X is so excessively unpleasant and awful, and a lot of time is spent never looking at his face, so there’s this great anticipation of what’s he’s going to look like, and then he looks like me! He’s not the sort of Aryan guy you think he’s going to be." Appearing in "The Nanny Diaries" gave Giamatti the chance to work with Linney for the first time. How was the experience? "She’s one of those people that make you a hell of a lot better just being around them," says Giamatti. "She’s definitely one of the best actresses around. And she’s also very funny." Seven year old Nicholas Reese Art plays Annie Braddock's little charge, Grayer X. "When I first met with Nick," says Johansson, "I recognized something in him and I felt a kinship to him immediately. He’s a regular kid, but when it comes time to film he’s amazingly focused." "The truth is, while we were making the movie, Scarlett and Nick fell in love, and those two were inseparable," says Springer Berman. "It was unbelievable how much they connected." The filmmakers turned to Broadway leading light and two time Tony Award winner Donna Murphy ("Passion" and "The King and I") to play the Annie’s mother Judy, a woman with high aspirations for her daughter. "Judy put herself through nursing school, and worked overtime so that her daughter could have opportunities that she never had a chance to have for herself," Murphy explained. "She wants Annie to have a career that will guarantee her financial security, but that’s not necessarily what Annie wants, and they end up somewhat at odds." Multiple GRAMMY Award winning recording artist Alicia Keys was cast as Annie’s feisty best friend, Lynette. "Lynette is crazy and spunky. I call her noisy," says Keys. "She’s loud and her colors, she wears a lot of accessories and jewelry, are loud. When she’s in the room, you know she’s in the room. She might not exactly fit into what the majority is doing, but she’s fun." Keys it turns out is no stranger to acting. Her mother Teresa is an actress who began acting in theatre as a child, made an appearance on "The Cosby Show" and appeared in the film, "Shadowboxer". "I’ve always loved acting," says Keys, "but as I got older I realized how much my passion for music was so prevalent, so that’s the direction I went into. I feel that acting and music are brothers and sisters." Johansson says "Alicia is a real spitfire girl and everybody’s always in such good spirits when she’s around. She’s a great actor and she’s certainly a better improvisational actor than I’ll ever be." Springer Berman and Pulcini saw over a hundred actors for the role of Harvard Hottie, the handsome preppie who tries to romance Annie. "We wanted the man who would just make Scarlett’s heart melt," says Springer Berman. "Chris Evans came in and blew us away. He gave a fantastic audition and looked incredible. I think he’s the next Robert Redford." "Harvard Hottie meets Annie and they have a nice little interaction," says Evans who is best known as Johnny Storm a.ka 'The Human Torch' in the "Fantastic Four". "He wants to show her that he’s not one of those Upper East Side jerks." So were there any drawbacks to working under two directors? Apparently not. The cast says they relished the experience of working with a directing team. "I’m amazed at how harmonious their relationship is," says Johansson. "I’m not sure exactly how they divvy things up," says Giamatti. "They just sort of feather into each other," says Linney. "One might give an emotional direction and one might give a physical direction. They seem to cover each other really well, and you feel like you’ve gotten the full spectrum, sort of the feminine and masculine analysis of the character," says Johansson. "They’re good actors’ directors because I find them extremely simple about what they tell you to do. They’re aware of how to talk to each actor the way they need to be talked to," says Giamatti. "I think it’s a credit to their marriage that they’re able to communicate so well and compliment each other so beautifully," says Linney. "The Nanny Diaries" was filmed entirely in New York and at locations such as Museum of Natural History, the Metropolitan Museum, Central Park and Bergdorf Goodman. Synopsis

Annie Braddock, a young woman from a working-class neighborhood in New Jersey, is struggling to understand her place in the world. Fresh out of college, she's under pressure from her mother to find a respectable position in the business world although Annie would prefer to trade in her blackberry for an anthropologist's field diary. Through a serendipitous meeting, Annie ends up in the elite and ritualistic culture of Manhattan's Upper East Side, as remote from Annie's suburban New Jersey upbringing as life in an Amazon tribal village. Choosing to duck out of real life, Annie accepts the position as a nanny for a wealthy family, referred to as simply "the X's." She quickly learns that life is not very rosy on the other side of the tax bracket, as she must cater to the every whim of Mrs X and her precocious son Grayer, while attempting to avoid the formidable Mr X. Life becomes more complicated when Annie falls for a gorgeous Park Avenue Hottie, and she's forced to re-examine her life and the direction it is headed in.

The Verdict "Most will go to see "The Nanny Diaries" because of the Scarlett Johansson factor. I fear that may alienate a large part of the cinemagoing public because this is in fact 2002 and 2004 EMMY Award winner Laura Linney's film. Having Johansson play fresh out of college girl Annie Braddock will attract the 'young' fans and that's good but her performance is nothing startling nor is it deserving of any special praise because it is Linney who adds depth, strength and polish to the "The Nanny Diaries". Linney together with 2005 and 2006 Screen Actors Guild Award winner Paul Giamatti actually. Even though Giamatti has limited screen time, it is noticeable screen time and grabs ones attention. The rest is all window dressing for what is decidedly a 'chick flick'. There's a hint of romance, a lot of drama, a fair bit of soul searching and a not so surprising ending. "The Nanny Diaries" is worth a look at even if we've seen it all before in another form. Recommended. 3 STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "THE NANNY DIARIES" stars .......
Scarlett Johansson ["A Good Woman", "The Island", "The Black Dahlia" and "The Presti"]; Paul Giamatti ["Sideways", "Cinderella Man", "The Illusionist" and "Lady in the Water"]; 1996 CableACE Award winner Donna Murphy ["The Astronaut's Wife", "Centre Stage", "The Door In The Floor", "Spider-Man 2" and "World Trade Centre"]; Nicholas Reese Art ["Syriana"]; Chris Evans ["Cellular", "Fantastic Four" and "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer"]; Alicia Keys ["Smokin' Aces"] and Laura Linney ["Mystic River", "The Exorcism of Emily Rose", "Jindabyne" and "Breach"] as Mrs X.
"THE NANNY DIARIES" was .......
directed by Shari Springer Berman ["The Young and the Dead" and "American Splendor"] and Robert Pulcini ["The Young and the Dead" and "American Splendor"]; screenplay by Shari Springer Berman ["American Splendor"] and Robert Pulcini ["American Splendor"]; art direction by Ben Barraud ["Gold in the Streets"]; costume design by Michael Wilkinson ["Looking for Alibrandi", "Garden State", "Babel" and "300"]; production design by Mark Ricker ["Walking to the Waterline", "Famous" and "Sunshine State"]; edited by Robert Pulcini ["Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's", "The Young and the Dead" and "American Splendor"]; cinematography by Terry Stacey ["Bad Bosses Go to Hell", "The Door In The Floor" and "In Her Shoes"]; original music by Mark Suozzo ["The Young and the Dead", "Dead by Monday", "American Splendor" and "The Notorious Bettie Page"] with set decoration by Andrew Baseman ["Just Looking", "In The Cut" and "Kinsey"]. Who's Who?

Scarlett Johansson Laura Linney Paul Giamatti Nina Garbiras Nicholas Reese Art Chris Evans Donna Murphy Alicia Keys Sonnie Brown Joanna Heimbold Marla Sucharetza Phoebe Jonas Allison Sarofim Tina Benko Cady Huffman

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Annie Braddock Mrs X Mr X Miss Chicago Grayer Harvard Hottie Judy Braddock Lynette Human Resources Director Glamour Mom Charity Mom Xanax Mom Eating Disorder Mom Shopaholic Mom Divorcing Mom

Run Time 109 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2007 - MGM/Weinstein Company - All Rights Reserved ©2007 All Rights Reserved - The Movie Pages & Impact Internet Services - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark Laws Apply.