MY ONE AND ONLY — ★★1/2 — Logan Lerman, Renee Zellweger, Kevin Bacon; rated PG-13 (profanity, vulgarity, slurs, violence, brief sex, brief drugs); Broadway Centre
The character played by Logan Lerman in "My One and Only" might be named George Devereaux, but that's a little misleading.
While that character, which is based on a flesh-and-blood person, really was named George Devereaux, his real name is George Hamilton.
Yes, that George Hamilton. He produced this biographical comedy-drama, which is based on some of his experiences while growing up on the road.
And it's good to know that little tidbit, because as modestly diverting as the film is, there's not really much of a point to it unless you understand just whose story this is. For some bizarre reason, that information is withheld until the very end of the movie.
Renee Zellweger plays Hamilton's mother, Ann Devereaux. In this version of events, she finally tires of being cheated on by her philandering, bandleader husband, Dan (Kevin Bacon).
So she decides to take their teenage son, George, and older stepson, Robbie (Mark Rendall), on the road with her.
However, the strain of constantly moving takes its toll on George, who starts to resent his mother and begins sympathizing with his father, who seems to turn up at the most inopportune moments.
Obviously, most of us know how the story turns out eventually — Hamilton wound up becoming a Hollywood star, after all.
Still, as familiar and unsurprising as this material is, it's nice to see Zellweger without the unflattering, scrunched-up facial expressions and without the cutesy ticks and other mannerisms that have marred some of her most-recent performances.
And she's surrounding by a very good cast. Up-and-coming actor Lerman is solid, as is the usually dependable Bacon.
Also, Ann's various suitors include characters played by Steven Weber, Chris Noth, David Koechner, Eric McCormack and Nick Stahl.
"My Only and Only" is rated PG-13 and features scattered strong profanity, some vulgar references and off-color language (slang and other suggestive talk), derogatory language and slurs (some based on sexual orientation), violent content and imagery (a bomb detonation, brief gunplay and some automotive mayhem), brief sexual contact, and brief drug content and references (various medications). Running time: 108 minutes.
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