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At the beginning of this year, I expressed my concern for the future of chick flicks. But, despite the slow start, it’s proven to be a pretty good year for the girls. That’s not to say that I actually liked this year’s girly blockbusters. On the contrary, both Mamma Mia! and Sex and the City left me feeling slightly embarrassed of my chromosomes. But at least women showed up at the theaters to let Hollywood know that they’re still out there, buying tickets. Well, now you’ve got a chance again, girls. And while writer and first-time director Diane English’s remake of the 1939 movie, The Women, still isn’t perfect, it’s a guilty pleasure that’s well worth indulging.
This women-only experiment (Really! Not even a male extra—with just one tiny exception) boasts a lovable all-star cast. At the center of it all is Meg Ryan, who plays Mary Haines, the perfect housewife to a wealthy Wall Street player. Mary seems to have it all—but then, on one horrible day, her whole world comes tumbling down. Her father fires her from his clothing business, and she finds out from a gossipy manicurist (Debi Mazar) that her husband’s having an affair with gorgeous gold-digger and Saks spritzer girl, Crystal (Eva Mendes).
Fortunately, Mary has plenty of strong women in her life to support her and give advice—which just leaves her feeling even more confused. Her mother (Candice Bergen) tells her to let it pass. Her lesbian friend, Alex (Jada Pinkett Smith), suggests moving on and finding a good woman. Her perpetually pregnant friend, Edie (Debra Messing), just tries to be sweet and supportive. And her very best friend, magazine editor Sylvie (Annette Bening), pushes her to stand up for herself and take action. But poor, sweet Mary has no idea what she even wants anymore.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit that The Women is far from perfect. Rookie director English is a bit shaky as she moves from behind the script to behind the camera—and some of the stars stumble over her direction. Others, however, shine. Nineties chick flick sweetheart Ryan, for instance, is as adorable as she’s ever been as little lost Mary. And Messing brings plenty of laughs as flaky mom-of-almost-five Edie.
Sure, The Women is a fluffy chick flick (albeit one for more grown-up chicks). It’s not especially moving or thought-provoking. But let’s be honest here—how many multi-million-dollar guy movies are? Most of the characters have been done before, but, fortunately, they’re still way more genuine and realistic than anyone from Sex and the City (and, as an added bonus, none of them jump up and down and shriek—not even once). And the whole no-men thing does make for a couple of awkward scenes. But it was a gutsy move nonetheless—and I can certainly appreciate that.
I can also appreciate the fact that English doesn’t try to make The Women anything more than a chick flick. Aside from a few minutes of preachiness from Mary’s pre-teen daughter, it’s just an entertaining movie with a simple story and a lovable cast. And, in the end, it’ll leave you feeling like it’s never too late to become the woman you’ve always dreamed of being (especially with a little help from your friends).
Though the summer usually offers a weekly excuse for the guys to head out to theaters with The Boys, movie nights with The Girls tend to be few and far between. But here’s your excuse, ladies. After a long week of carpools and homework and dinners for four, feel free to escape for a couple of hours with The Women.
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