Blethyn's character here isn't quite in the monster-mother league of her "Voice" one, but she will more than do.

Jean Dwight (Blethyn) is a middle aged mother of two grown sons who was once a rising star in her native England. Her marriage to one-hit-wonder country singer John (Frankie J. Holden) and relocation to Sydney saw her career fortunes more or less evaporate.

These days she's divorced and working a day shift at a cafeteria, but she still lives for the few gigs she gets as a stand-up comedienne cracking wise a la Phyllis Diller about oafish husbands, bad sex, that time of the month, etc. (Frankly, her routine is so awful it strains credibility that she'd get any work at all.)

On the home front, she depends heavily on 20-year-old offspring Tim (Khan Chittenden) to schlep her around and shoulder much of the responsibility for minding brother Mark (Richard Wilson), a spastic who was brain-damaged at birth (though his dialogue is awfully precocious).

Given mom's rather overwhelming personality, it's no surprise Tim is shy. When he meets flirtatious young roommates Jill (Emma Booth) and Kelly (Katie Wall), the second girl encourages the first to give him their number.

Jill's a willowy blonde beauty and he's an adorable young hunk, so why not? Problems arise, however, when Jill's neediness clashes against Tim's inarticulate nature -- she mistakes his virginal skittishness for rejection.

Once they've worked that out, there's a more formidable obstacle: Mom. With a starry benefit and a big audition coming up, the generally well-intentioned but hopelessly self-centered Jean is more demanding than ever. She resents the time Tim spends with Jill.

Various complications and a climactic meltdown presage a feelgood ending that shamelessly yanks viewers' chains harder than necessary.

Still, progress is quite pleasant, balancing comedy and drama to solid if familiar effect. Against Blethyn's star turn, Chittenden more than holds his own, subtly making the withdrawn Tim quite endearing. Supporting perfs are largely brassy and all quite likeable. Package is pro in all respects, though there's nothing going on here that would suffer in translation to the small screen.

Camera (color), Mark Wareham; editor, Scott Gray; music, Martin Armiger; production designer, Nell Hanson; art director, Charlie Revai; set decorator, Richie Dehne; costume designer, Emily Seresin; sound (Dolby Digital), Andrew Neil; assistant director, P.J. Voeten; casting, Niki Barrett. Reviewed at Sundance Film Festival (Premieres), Jan. 21, 2007. Running time: 109 MIN.