it seem like a surefire idea for a comedic star vehicle represent shirley maclaine a an infuriatingly stubborn former first lady whose love hate relationship with secret service agent nicolas cage be test when she apparently kidnap . director high wilson and who also co write the screenplay and doesn not just have a sitcom sense of priority he formulate each scene into a situation as well ( the golfing scene and the supermarket scene and etc . ) . until tragedy brings everyone together and the character be fairly exasperate and and since the character also function a gag and the comedy be rather mean spirit . maclaine probably felt a little persnickety jabber would goose the proceeding and yet there far too much bickering back and forth between she and cage and and both fall back on their prove shtick ( maclaine certainly on her aurora greenway from term of endearment ) . wilson have a tough time get this one start and and it do manage to improve after a strenuous first half hour and but the film underlying emotion be just as fraudulent a the witticism . half from .