You get the impression that Just Add Water was trying to be something quirky, something special, but it falls short. It does not quite match its offbeat aspirations, but comes across as stereotypical and predictable. The film's protagonist, Ray (Dylan Walsh, Nip/Tuck), is a loser, stuck in the dead-end town of Trona. The town was abandoned by all who could leave, including the local police force, and has been taken over by the teenage criminal Dirk and his posse of whitetrash youths. But if living in Trona was not bad enough, Ray finds out that his wife is having an affair and his son (Jonah Hill, Superbad) is not really his son. On top of this, his mother and sister-in-law kill each other as they fight over his mother's secret recipe for lemon meringue pie. The only good thing in Ray's life is his trips to the supermarket, where he sees the checkout girl Nora (Tracy Middendorf) as the love that should have been and, maybe, could still be.
The plot is very predictable, which is not always a bad thing if the dialogue sparkles, but here you only catch glimpses of the promise of a good script. This is a bizarre film, but the weirdest thing is Danny DeVito's involvement. Why he took this role and then did nothing with it to produce a memorable cameo is baffling. But then this is a baffling film.
cpyke@thenational.ae
The Settlers
Director: Louis Theroux
Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz
Rating: 5/5
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES
Saturday (UAE kick-off times)
Watford v Leicester City (3.30pm)
Brighton v Arsenal (6pm)
West Ham v Wolves (8.30pm)
Bournemouth v Crystal Palace (10.45pm)
Sunday
Newcastle United v Sheffield United (5pm)
Aston Villa v Chelsea (7.15pm)
Everton v Liverpool (10pm)
Monday
Manchester City v Burnley (11pm)
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
STAY%2C%20DAUGHTER
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Honeymoonish
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2018 BMW R nineT Scrambler
Price, base / as tested Dh57,000
Engine 1,170cc air/oil-cooled flat twin four-stroke engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 110hp) @ 7,750rpm
Torque 116Nm @ 6,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.3L / 100km
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Arabian Gulf League fixtures:
Friday:
- Emirates v Hatta, 5.15pm
- Al Wahda v Al Dhafra, 5.25pm
- Al Ain v Shabab Al Ahli Dubai, 8.15pm
Saturday:
- Dibba v Ajman, 5.15pm
- Sharjah v Al Wasl, 5.20pm
- Al Jazira v Al Nasr, 8.15pm
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