Bootleg Betty
Saturday Matinee: Drowning Mona (Complete)
By Mister D
March 8, 2025
Fanfare: Welcome to Verplanck, Where Everyone’s a Suspect!
Picture this: a small town in upstate New York where every car is a Yugo, every resident has a grudge, and one spectacularly unpleasant woman meets her watery end in a hilariously twisted whodunit. Drowning Mona (2000) is a dark comedy gem that doesn’t just ask “who did it?” but rather “who didn’t want to?” With a star-studded cast—Bette Midler as the venomous Mona Dearly, Danny DeVito as the musical-loving Chief Wyatt Rash, Neve Campbell, Casey Affleck, Jamie Lee Curtis, and even a young Will Ferrell—this film is a wild ride through a town full of oddballs, all gleefully celebrating the demise of their least favorite neighbor. It’s absurd, it’s crude, and it’s a cult classic waiting for you to hop in the driver’s seat (just check the brakes first)!
Reviews
Drowning Mona has a mixed reputation, earning a 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 55 reviews, but it’s found a loyal following among fans of offbeat humor. Here’s a snapshot of what critics and audiences have said:
Fanfare: Welcome to Verplanck, Where Everyone’s a Suspect!
Picture this: a small town in upstate New York where every car is a Yugo, every resident has a grudge, and one spectacularly unpleasant woman meets her watery end in a hilariously twisted whodunit. Drowning Mona (2000) is a dark comedy gem that doesn’t just ask “who did it?” but rather “who didn’t want to?” With a star-studded cast—Bette Midler as the venomous Mona Dearly, Danny DeVito as the musical-loving Chief Wyatt Rash, Neve Campbell, Casey Affleck, Jamie Lee Curtis, and even a young Will Ferrell—this film is a wild ride through a town full of oddballs, all gleefully celebrating the demise of their least favorite neighbor. It’s absurd, it’s crude, and it’s a cult classic waiting for you to hop in the driver’s seat (just check the brakes first)!
Reviews
Drowning Mona has a mixed reputation, earning a 29% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 55 reviews, but it’s found a loyal following among fans of offbeat humor. Here’s a snapshot of what critics and audiences have said:
- Rotten Tomatoes Summary: “The recently deceased Mona Dearly was many things: an abusive wife, a domineering mother, a loud-mouthed neighbor and a violent malcontent. So when her car and corpse are discovered in the Hudson River, police Chief Wyatt Rash immediately suspects murder rather than an accident.” Critics noted its talented cast but felt the execution didn’t always match the potential.
- Roger Ebert (2/4 stars): Ebert found it lukewarm, saying, “My problem was that I didn’t care who killed Mona Dearly, or why, and didn’t want to know anyone in town except for Chief Rash and his daughter.” He praised the dialogue but felt the comedy fizzled out.
- Common Sense Media: “Talented cast wasted in an awful movie. Any movie that tries to wring humor with Yugos and funny character names (Mona Dearly, Officer Rash, Bobby Calzone) is going down for the third time, and no one should bother to throw it a life preserver.” Harsh, but they did note a couple of funny lines.
- Letterboxd User Reviews: Fans on Letterboxd call it a “comfort movie” and praise its snarky charm. One user quipped, “This movie’s funny, fuck off,” while another said, “It takes a 2nd view for the snark condescension to sink in but once understood you’re also ‘Drowning Mona’ & in search of a Classic.”
- Reddit (r/movies): A thread from 2023 shows love for its absurdity, with comments like, “This is one of my favourite comedies of all time. The cast is actually almost all A-listers now. I have a friend who I quote the movie with on a daily basis.”
It’s a polarizing flick—critics often found it flat, but fans adore its dark, silly vibe and quotable moments.
Trivia
Drowning Mona is packed with quirky behind-the-scenes tidbits that add to its charm:
- Yugo Overload: The film opens with a fictional blurb claiming Verplanck, NY, was a test site for Yugos, explaining why every car (except police cruisers) is one. In reality, this was a creative choice—all the Yugos were sourced for the shoot, and each has personalized plates.
- Fetzer Valve: When mechanic Lucinda (Kathleen Wilhoite) mentions a punctured “Fetzer valve” in Mona’s car, it’s a nod to a fictional engine part from Fletch (1985)—a little Easter egg for movie buffs.
- Multitasking Neve: Neve Campbell wore a wig for Scream 3 while filming this, juggling Party of Five and Drowning Mona simultaneously.
- Name Games: “Rona Mace” (Jamie Lee Curtis) is an anagram for “a romance,” and “Mona Dearly” (Bette Midler) hints at “only a dream.” Writer Peter Steinfeld chose “Wyatt Rash” to sound like “white trash” when said quickly, fitting the film’s vibe.
- Casey’s Regret: Casey Affleck has said Drowning Mona and Soul Survivors (2001) are his least favorite films he’s worked on.
- Scream Queen Connection: Jamie Lee Curtis (Halloween) and Neve Campbell (Scream)—both iconic “Final Girls”—share the screen, adding a meta horror twist to the comedy.
Quotes
The movie’s dialogue is a goldmine of dark humor and snappy one-liners. Here are some highlights:
- Chief Wyatt Rash: “My mother always used to say, ‘When life hands you potatoes, make potato salad!'” Mona Dearly: “Yeah? Well life handed me a whole pile a’ shit! What am I supposed to make outta that?” Phil Dearly: “Shit salad?”
- Mona Dearly: “BJ? Well, I think ‘JB’ has a nicer ring to it. Besides, you don’t want anyone goin’ around calling ya ‘Blow Job Landscaping’—do ya?”
- Ellen Rash: “A good idea at the time? ‘Cut the grass at 6:00, lay sod at 7:00, DROWN THE DEARLYS AT 8:00’!”
- Cubby: “Hell, Wyatt, I’ve seen people more upset over losing change in a candy machine [than Mona’s death].”
- Jeff Dearly: “I want half. And don’t give me none of that ‘50%’ shit.”
- Feege: “Oh let me think about that, Mona. You’re riding on rims and you pulled an 1107 on an officer of the law. What the hell is the matter with you, son?”
- Bobby Kalzone: “Jesus, God, Ellie, she’s a human being. Have a little respect.” Ellie: “I don’t gotta have respect for no one in that family. They’re a houseful of freaks.”
There you have it—a splashy rundown of Drowning Mona! Whether you’re here for the laughs, the mystery, or just to count the Yugos, this movie’s got a little something for the curious and the irreverent.
