Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini's homonymic adaptation of the 2002 best-selling novel “The Nanny Diaries” by Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus makes you think of a jigsaw that sometimes has far-fetched pieces.

A combination of the classic “Mary Poppins” and contemporary “The Devil Wears Prada” presented in a “Bridget Jones’s Diary” style , the movie integrates the beauty of Scarlett Johansson, but not her charm too, the talent of Paul Giamatti , but not much of his actual appearance and a Laura Linney, wasted on her character.

The plot is simple and catchy: an intelligent anthropology student (Scarlet Johansson) craving for a prosperous career ends up hired as a live-in nanny of a rich spoiled brat in Manhattan. Her coveting professional achievement interrupted by the temporary job is a movie cliché that can be bearable and charming if it mingles with some clever scenes, but the actual movie combines the mundane central theme with other cliché subthemes, leaving an overall impression of unorganic too much.

The hard-working anthropology graduate intellectual hides her real job from her mother, sparing her of the disappointment of the underachievement despite all the sacrifices they both made. Nanny Annie tells her mother that she got a trainee job on Wall Street, so she won’t receive any support from her during the abominable experience. The classic scheme of the acolyte that has to bear all the perfectionisms required from her bosses frames the deadlock and helplessness feelings, too.

Mr. and Mrs. X, little Grayer’s parents are not far from the expectable rich type: self-centered and too important, both of them make Annie’s life impossible. Mrs. X (Laura Linney), a cold frazzled socialite, focuses more on correcting nannies than on showing affection to her son. Mr. X (Paul Giamatti), an adulterous preppy hardly appears at home.

 Nicholas Art, starring Grayer has also a recurrent role in the script. The spoilt brat that has brought  dozens of nannies to resignation shows affection and love to Annie, that also feels attached to him. It is her who recognizes the cliché when she admits that she has learned child care from movies that had a happy ending, nanny and kid getting along incredibly well.

And what is a movie girl without falling in love? Annie cannot stay away from this path either, her eyes glittering when she sees the upper neighbor  “Harvard hottie” (Chris Evans), hunky and deceiving with the Harvard sweater he is wearing.

The first that attend the movie will be Scarlet Johansson’s fans and they are not to blame. After her remarkable charming performance in the 2003 “Girl With A Pearl Earring” or the last year’s “The Black Dahlia”, unpleasantly surprising , this character of Scarlet’s is sullen and  clichéd. At some point you can’t distinguish if it’s her role or her performance that is plain, almost questioning her acting talent. Even the riming “Nanny Annie” appears a flawed attempt to lyricism, pinpointing the whole movie’s tentativeness to art, which is not that successful.  

The strong personality of Annie’s (she is really determined to succeed in handling this job, this is why she doesn’t quit…so she is strong, right?) does not pass through the screen, no mimic, no strength of voice, no gesture makes the character genuine and credible. What’s wrong with the eyes, why don’t they just express determination, despair, affection, anything? Where is the nerve that would Annie real?

The viewers will find themselves feeling uncomfortable not managing to empathize with the situation, some aspects proving incomprehensible and far-fetched. The annoyance is fostered all throughout the movie, Mrs. X’s demands are hilarious, but crossing the endurance line: her son needs to be read financial press, his diet is entirely based on soy products (where’s the concern for his daily calcium necessary, for example?), he is not allowed to travel by subway (where’s the interest to increase his immunity system?).

Annie’s initial anthropological approach is the most amusing and close to reality element of the film, but it somehow lost on the way (Or maybe the directors felt that it might become some sort of cliché..).

Who was so heroic to watch the whole film, will consider it an initiating experience, one that tests patience and understanding, that strengthens endurance and will find healing in the moment the screen blacks out and the lights are on. Ladies and gentlemen, you can finally breathe!