There's something refreshingly quaint about Lady of the Manor. Written and directed by brothers Justin Long and Christian Long (in their directorial debut no doubt), Lady of the Manor is a simple, straightforward comedy that doesn't try to reinvent the wheel. There aren't many side-splitting gags, and the story, in many ways, is conventional; however, the movie remains charming nonetheless, and is sure to elicit a few chuckles from the audience. Starring Judy Greer and Melanie Lynskey, Lady of the Manor is a delightful (if predictable) comedy that highlights its talented cast.
Lynskey plays Hannah, a stoner-slacker who hits rock bottom after bad luck and poor judgment result in her being arrested. Homeless and with nowhere to go, she jumps at the chance to move into the historic home of Wadsworth Manor and give tours while in character as Lady Wadsworth, a Southern belle who died in 1875. Not surprisingly, Hannah is ill-suited for the job, and her ineptitude quickly attracts the ire of the real Lady Wadsworth (played by Greer) who haunts the home.
The crux of the comedy in Lady of the Manor is the contrast between Hannah — a 21st-century woman with bad habits and little shame — and the proper, respectable (albeit deceased) Lady Wadsworth. Greer plays against type, mainly being the straight character to Lynskey's over-the-top antics. In some ways, it's a shame Greer didn't have more of an opportunity to show off her impressive comedic chops. Regardless, Greer imparts a lot of personality on a role that easily could have felt stilted or wooden in less capable hands. Lynskey shines as Hannah, the rudderless, classless stoner screw-up. The actor unabashedly embraces physical humor in Lady of the Manor and really commits to the gags. There are a few laugh-out-loud moments in the film, and Lynskey is at the center of all of them. Whether it's Hannah blurting out something inappropriate or her simply being playfully silly, Lynskey brings a lot of charm to the role, which elevates the entire movie.
Lady of the Manor is a lot of things all at once: it's a buddy comedy between a woman and a ghost, it's a love story between two misfits, and, it's a story of self-discovery. Hannah grows as a person because of the events in the film, and despite the relatively short run-time (and admittedly shallow premise), the character development feels earned. Justin Long also stars as the nerdy college professor Max, and he's contrasted by the rich, obnoxious playboy Tanner Wadsworth (Ryan Phillippe). The cast works well together, and one gets the impression that the movie was a lot of fun to make — and that goes a long way in making the indie film enjoyable to watch, despite it being light on the comedy.
The Long brothers understand how to deliver a joke, and the direction in Lady of the Manor reflects that. Poor direction can tank a comedy, but thankfully, that's not the case here — several of the physical gags in particular only work because the camera captures the right reaction at the right time, while also leaving space for the audience to notice and react. The script is less impressive; in many ways, the story feels derivative, thanks to comedians like Melissa McCarthy and Amy Schumer who have done the "slacker" archetype many times each. To her credit, Lynskey holds her own in this category (and Hannah is just so darn likable), but that doesn't help with how familiar the territory feels. Even the supernatural twist feels passé; much of the comedy is based on Lady Wadsworth being a ghost that only Hannah can see, and this kind of humor has been done many, many times before.
What Lady of the Manor lacks in jokes it makes up for in heart. The relationships in the movie have weight and, by the end, the audience is actually rooting for Hannah and her new love interest — not to mention her newfound friendship with Wadsworth. It's a pleasant film that showcases its talented cast, and while it may not be groundbreaking or innovative, it at least offers amusement.
Lady of the Manor debuted at the Gasparilla International Film Festival on June 10, 2021, and will be released theatrically and to video-on-demand on September 17, 2021. The movie is 96 minutes long and is rated R for language throughout, sexual material and drug use.