While Shirley McLaine remains ever the strong willed Aurora, what makes this film wonderful is the fact that she continues her relationship with her grand children much as she did with her daughter, and somewhere along the way in both movies the children come to realize that while she may make you want to bang you head against a wall, there isn't anyone that loves and supports you more! I have an even greater respect for my mother and the education she gave me.<br /><br />Yet Aurora still manages to make the same mistakes we all make. Love is not an easy road traveled.<br /><br />This movie brings humor to that road, tears just like the original movie. I will agree the airplane scene was over the top, but I loved the scene with Jack Nicholson on the beach with the car going through the surf. <br /><br />I have never read the books, but now I really want to.<br /><br />One interesting fact - almost every star in this movie is a daughter or son of someone in Hollywood - Teddy was Patty Duke and John Astin's son. Tommy's wife is Cary Grant and Diane Cannon's daughter, Teddy's wife is someone from Jefferson Airplane's daughter. Even Lewis has an acting father - although she has made her own name in the business.