Two Words, One Answer.
The Nanny Diaries
 The Nanny Diaries (Widescreen Edition) $14.95 Based on the illuminating, surprise bestseller written by two former nannies, THE NANNY DIARIES is a sharply incisive comedy which uncovers the messier side to the profession of high-society childcare. This isn't some sparkling fairytale with Julie Andrews or Fran Drescher... When college graduate Annie Braddock (Scarlett Johansson) enters the 'real world', she quickly discovers that whilst she's well-versed in theory, her life experiences come up decidedly short by comparison. A chance encounter with "Mrs. X." (Laura Linney), a well-heeled 5th Avenue wife and her young, recently nanny-less son Grayer (Nicholas Art) provides the solution. What could be the more perfect experience for a budding anthropology student? Annie's life as 24/7 nanny for the "X." family looks too good to be true - and it is! Suddenly Annie finds herself slowly consumed by the impossible demands of "Mrs. X" and her slimy husband (Paul Giamatti)...and falling in love, first with adorable Grayer, and again with neighbour "Harvard Hottie" (Chris Evans). "The Devil Wears Prada" it's definitely not, but THE NANNY DIARIES does offer a refreshing change to the normal, sugary sweet rom-coms. Scarlett Johansson does a wonderful job conveying Annie's stupefying bewilderment of working in the "X." house; Laura Linney is the perfect ice-queen but does ocassionally let the "mask" fall to reveal the vulnerable woman underneath. Paul Giamatti is sadly wasted as "Mr. X.", and to a certain extent, so too is the talented Donna Murphy, who plays Annie's blue-collar mother. Nicholas Art, a genuine star in the making, is wonderful as Grayer.  Nanny Diaries UNABRIDGED $5.00 What do you do when you are a nanny to an obscenely rich Park Avenue matron named X? Mrs. X refuses to do anything for herself, including cook, clean, or take care of her 4-year-old son. You are expected to do everything, including maintaining the mental health of said 4-year-old, even while Mrs. X decides that it is time for a divorce. You'll have to bear up under the strain with wit and panache, even as the boundaries between your working life and your so-called private life blur, merge, and disappear. The symbiotic relationship between parent and nanny ensures that your life will be spent anticipating and fulfilling the needs of your charge and your employer. Have fun! The readers of this book certainly will. 2002 Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus; (P)2002 Books on Tape, Inc.  The Nanny Diaries $3.99 Two former Manhattan nannies blow the lid off of the private child-care industry with a hilarious debut that pulls no punches as it recounts the travails of Nan, a hip Mary Poppins looking for a job to fit around her child-development classes at NYU. Mrs. X seems reasonable enough when she hires Nan to look after her four-year-old son, Grayer, but she quickly reveals herself to be a monster a bundle of neuroses wrapped up in Prada, whose son is little more than another status symbol in a fabulous Park Avenue apartment. Mr. X is just as horrible, although he's rarely seen or heard, too busy navigating mergers and mistresses to make time for a family starving for his affection. Nan finds herself stuck in a low-paying job from which she can be fired on a whim, enduring a steady stream of condescension, indifference and passive-aggressive notes on Mrs. X's posh stationery. Against the advice of family and friends, she stays because of her devotion to Grayer but how long will it be before she explodes? The pages fairly crackle with class resentment that might have been more convincing if Nanny's own family weren't as comfortable, and the finale delivers more whimper than bang, but it's easy to forgive such flaws when everything else rings true. Especially impressive is the authors' ability to allow the loathsome Mrs. X occasional flashes of humanity and pathos. Required reading for parents and the women they hire to do their parenting. |
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