The Women

Written & Directed by: Diane English
(based on play written by Clare Booth Luce)


Normally I stay away from Chick Flicks. I had already seen (and cried over) the Sex and the City movie this summer and I thought I was done, but when I saw the preview for The Women I figured, what the hell. Looked like it would be a good Chick Flick. And we were in San Antonio fleeing the aftermath of Ike so I figured that would be as good a time as any to go for it.

Mary Haines (Meg Ryan) is a fashion designer, a mother, a wife, a charitable fundraiser, and most important (and obviously) a woman. We meet her as she is hastily planning a luncheon at her house for about 50 some women. She has a 12 year old daughter, an over working stock broker of a husband, an opinionated mother (Candice Bergen), and really good friends Sylvie (Annette Benning), Edie (Debra Messing), and Alex (Jada Pinkett-Smith). She’s your Everywoman.

Sylvie, the high powered business woman of the bunch, stops off at Saks one afternoon for her regularly scheduled manicure when the gossipy manicurist divulges that her friend, the perfume spritzing Crystal Allen (Eva Mendes) is currently sleeping with a married over working stock broker named Stephen Haines. Shock and horror no doubt. Sylvie rushes out and goes to Edie’s, the bohemian child factory, to figure out how they should break the news to Mary. Edie says its not their business they should keep out.

All is well in the group until Mary takes a trip to the same blabbing manicurist and hears the same story. Her world comes tumbling down. Her mother suggests that she and her daughter come relax for a bit and let Stephen really see what he’s missing out on. Mary thinks she’s too old for game playing. But Mom thinks that she’s not and lets Mary in on a secret that her father did the same thing and Mom and Dad made it through, Mary should be alright. Alrighty.

Sylvie, Edie, and Alex (she’s a lesbian and a writer) get in the car to take Mary to the airport when Alex finds out the secret Sylvie and Edie are hiding. She decides they need to confront Mary and see if she needs help. Mary blurts out she already knows and she heads to her mom while the girls go to Saks to snoop out Crystal.

The rest of the movie deals with Mary dealing with her husbands affair, losing her mothering skills, and her coming to terms with what it is she actually wants in life. Sylvie has to deal with not having any children, keeping her job at a magazine that doesn’t support her vision, and not having a husband. Edie and Alex are mostly just background characters.

But they weren’t kidding around with the title of this movie. There really is nothing but women in front of the camera for this movie. Yes the main cast is female and the supporting cast, but when they walk down the street, only women walk past. When they sit and eat, there’s only female diners in the restaurant. Me, my sister, and aunt all looked to see if there was one visible male in the whole movie. None to be found.

Meg Ryan is typical cutesie Meg. Annette Benning was likeable cause she didn’t take shit from anyone so it’s pretty typical that she was single. I suppose the writer was trying to be edgy with Jada’s character since she was a partier and wore leather jackets and wife beaters. Oh and was a lesbian. But there was no real significance in her character. Same with Edie’s. She had a bunch of kids. Ok. Maybe there was more that got left on the cutting room floor. I have no clue. And there’s a brief appearance by Bette Midler, who of course is great, cause its Bette, but it was a completely unneeded scene because for some reason Meg’s character takes a sebatical to a resort for the recently divorced.

But it’s a feel good chick flick hands down. We counted 2 men in our theater when we went to see it. Groups of women all over the theater. That’s what its made for and the audience knows it. We want to see best friends forever and mother/daughter relationships mended, women prevail but still be womanly, and the skank that stole your man get what she deserves. That is what this movie is for and that’s all that there is. Could it be better? Definetly. It could be a tighter, better directed and filmed movie, but is it necessary those things be there for you to see it? No. It’s nowhere near Sex and the City, but it doesn’t need to be. (although I wanted a bunch of the clothes the women wore)

I kinda want to check out the original play/movie. I know it was written in 1939, so I’m sure it is totally outdated but I’m guessing that this revision of it is looooosely based on the original. This is better than a Lifetime channel movie, more suited for say….WE channel instead. Check it out, with a few of your closest girlfriends, and guys if your girl mentions she wants to go see it, suggest she take some of her closest girlfriends.