It might take its name from The Wizard of Oz and contain a few scattershot references to ruby slippers and such, but the similarities between the made-for-TV Surrender, Dorothy and the beloved MGM classic end there.

Based on the 1998 Meg Wolitzer novel, Surrender, Dorothy belongs to that genre of self-consciously high-minded art. What else would you expect with a gaggle of thirtysomethings revealing hidden secrets during a month-long vacation in the Hamptons? In the hands of director Charles MacDougall and teleplay writer Matthew McDuffie, however, this feels less like high-minded art and more like high school drama.

Sara Swerdlow (Alexa Davalos) is a pretty, vivacious and vacuous young woman who spends each August with some friends of hers at a rented beach home in the Hamptons. Along for the festivities are Adam (Tom Everett Scott), a gay playwright and Sara's best friend; Adam's boy-toy, aspiring actor Shawn (Chris Pine); and married couple Peter (Josh Hopkins) and Maddy (Lauren German). The group barely has time to congratulate themselves on their youth and coolness before Sara dies in a drunken car accident.

The woman's untimely death bums everyone out -- not enough to cut short their vacation, mind you -- but no one is hit harder than Sara's mother, Natalie (Diane Keaton, who also co-produced). A snippy, overbearing divorcee whose conversations with her daughter always began with the oblique phrase, "Surrender, Dorothy," Mrs. Swerdlow wastes little time crashing the Hamptons getaway and interrogating Sara's grieving chums. Natalie thought she and her daughter were so close, but soon discovers that, in many respects, she didn't know Sara at all.

MacDougall has done some excellent television work over the years (episodes of Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives and Big Love, to name a few) but he is clearly out of his element. The result is stilted, stagy and boasting all the subtlety of rocks shattering a plate-glass window.

Revelations come fast and furiously in this turgid soap opera. There is something almost comical about characters revealing deep, dark secrets when they obviously can't keep their mouths shut. Sara's friends drop bombshells -- almost exclusively about sex -- in casual conversations and then seem shocked when the aforementioned bombshells knock everyone for a loop. The characters' loquaciousness makes the guests on Jerry Springer look like mimes by comparison.

The largely nondescript cast is unable to finesse such overwrought material. Not even Diane Keaton can do much more than go through the motions.

The anamorphic widescreen 1.78:1 is of very good picture quality, with no noticeable problems with dirt, edge enhancement or noise.

Heavy in dialogue, Surrender, Dorothy is adequately served by its Dolby Digital 5.1 track. Subtitles are available in English and French.

The DVD features two commentary tracks. The first boasts MacDougall and Keaton discussing various aspects of the shoot. It is intermittently interesting, although there is little rapport between the commentators. For her part, Keaton is embarrassingly effusive with her praise for the film.

The second commentary again features MacDougall, this time chatting with Surrender, Dorothy cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond. The Hungarian-born Zsigmond has lensed some great pictures, including Close Encounters of the Third Kind, McCabe and Mrs. Miller and The Deer Hunter, so it's understandable that MacDougall comes off as a fanboy interviewing one of his idols. Nevertheless, the commentary becomes mired in the technical aspects of filmmaking and will have limited appeal for casual moviegoers.

Previews of other Sony DVD releases include TV's I Dream of Jeannie, Gidget, The Flying Nun, Ladies Night (a collection of female TV stars) and the film version of Rent.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the book is better. Call me crazy, but I've got a hunch.