This movie is hilarious. The insane dialogue turns the story of a grieving mother into a good comedy. Even though it looks like it was shot in 1998, the production value is pretty good for a TV movie. But that doesn't save this wounded animal. Right from the start realism goes out the window, never to be seen again. Therefore nothing feels natural, plus the acting seems odd and misplaced in most scenes.The main players aren't sympathetic at all, even though they are intended to be. And Diane Keaton's character is supposed to be this empowering, fun-loving and cool baby boomer but she's just a hateable, annoying mess instead. People who have a good taste in movies need to watch "Surrender, Dorothy" just to push the reset button, cleanse the palate. This way you can appreciate the good films you watch.

Really bad movie, all this film does is promote the idea that women shouldn't drive cars. I'm not sure who this movie is aimed at, as it is an insult to anyone's intelligence. I lost the will to live shortly after the mother crashed her car. I was hoping it would spiral into a weird comedy in which a whole series of people crash there cars and die on hearing that someone else has died in a crash. Bump the whole stinking cast off a la "final destination".Sadly most of the cast survive in this stinker of a straight to TV movie. If you find yourself watching this for longer than 20 minutes I advise you to see a doctor and ask for some anti-depressants, because your life must really be at a low ebb.

hands down, one of the worse movies i've ever watched. the plot was abysmal. do people really act like this in real life ? it's one of the "please shoot me and put me out of my misery" movies. is there any reason i didn't turn it off and give up on it ? why did i watch it to the end ? i wasn't curious. i had no empathy at all. it made me feel that maybe this world would be a lot better off if all the sarahs died in a car crash. and their mothers too. maybe i had to watch it so when i saw a really good movie, i'd appreciate it. this movie is the touchstone of all Hollywood chick flick template detritus. should have invested this time in a video game.

Charles McDougall's resume includes directing episodes on 'Sex and the City', 'Desperate Housewives', Queer as Folk', 'Big Love', 'The Office', etc. so he comes with all the credentials to make the TV film version of Meg Wolitzer's novel SURRENDER, DOROTHY a success. And for the most part he manages to keep this potentially sappy story about sudden death of a loved one and than manner in which the people in her life react afloat.Sara (Alexa Davalos) a beautiful unmarried young woman is accompanying her best friends - gay playwright Adam (Tom Everett Scott), Adam's current squeeze Shawn (Chris Pine), and married couple Maddy (Lauren German) and Peter (Josh Hopkins) with their infant son - to a house in the Hamptons for a summer vacation. The group seems jolly until a trip to the local ice creamery by Adam and Sara) results in an auto accident which kills Sara. Meanwhile Sara's mother Natalie Swedlow (Diane Keaton) who has an active social life but intrusively calls here daughter constantly with the mutual greeting 'Surrender, Dorothy', is playing it up elsewhere: when she receives the phone call that Sara is dead she immediately comes to the Hamptons where her overbearing personality and grief create friction among Sara's friends. Slowly but surely Natalie uncovers secrets about each of them, thriving on talking about Sara as though doing so would bring her to life. Natalie's thirst for truth at any cost results in major changes among the group and it is only through the binding love of the departed Sara that they all eventually come together.Diane Keaton is at her best in these roles that walk the thread between drama and comedy and her presence holds the story together. The screenplay has its moments for good lines, but it also has a lot of filler that becomes a bit heavy and morose making the actors obviously uncomfortable with the lines they are given. Yes, this story has been told many times - the impact of sudden death on the lives of those whose privacy is altered by disclosures - but the film moves along with a cast pace and has enough genuine entertainment to make it worth watching. Grady Harp