Release Date: 12/21/2008 Original Release: 2008 Format: DVD Length: 114 minutes Rating:PG-13 (MPAA) Rating Reason: for sex-related material, language, some drug use and brief smoking UPC: 794043128424 Studio: Warner Home Video
Packed with an all-star cast, Diane English's (MURPHY BROWN) contemporary version of THE WOMEN showcases the talents of Annette Bening, Meg Ryan, Jada Pinkett Smith, Candice Bergen, and Debra Messing. Like the 1939 original, the film deals with the relationships among a close-knit group of female friends, who, when their marriages fail and their lives are on the verge of falling apart, turn to each other for support. On the surface, Mary (Ryan) appears the happiest of the bunch, but her life changes instantly when her best friend Sylvia (Bening) discovers that Mary's husband's having an affair. The actresses frequently appear on screen as an ensemble, exhibiting a relaxed, compelling chemistry. The film feels cluttered at times, but perhaps that is fitting considering how much each female character has on her plate with regards to family, work, marriage, and friendship. Eva Mendes appears as the jaw-dropping beauty who is partially to blame for the fallout of Mary's marriage. As Mary's mother and the voice of wisdom, Bergen delivers the film's best lines with sarcasm, wit, and charm.
As in the SEX AND THE CITY movie, the message here seems to be that before finding love with a man, a woman must truly love and know herself. While Mary's high-society social standing enables her to start a fashion line on a whim and makes her self-transformation somewhat easy, female viewers from all walks of life are likely to recognize something relatable in the many women characters driving the film. One nice touch is that while much of the drama surrounds various marital problems, even the cheating husband in question never appears on screen. When you get down to it, the film's most important relationships are between the women themselves.
DVD Features
Full Frame - 1.33 Widescreen - 1.85 Audio: Dolby Digital Dolby Surround 5.1 English Subtitles - English, Spanish Additional Release Material: Additional Scenes Featurette: 1. The Women: The Legacy - The Journey from 1936 Stage Sucess to Classic 1939 Movie to this Contemporary Update 2. THE WOMEN Behind the Women: Visiting the Cast and Crew to Cover Issue of Female Empowerment, Body Image and Self-Esteem for Girls
I wouldn't particularly recommend this movie if someone were looking for a good bonding chick flick. Hell, even the SEX & THE CITY movie would work better if that was your criteria for a flick of the... Read the whole review at MatchFlick
Posted on September 16, 2008
Reviewed by: Pamela
Most of the ratings on this page are too harsh - I found it entertaining, a bit slow in parts and the acting a bit play like with deliberate one liners. I did not know how to describe the direction... Read the whole review at MatchFlick
Posted on September 15, 2008
Reviewed by: Jarrod
'The Women' is not so much a remake as a modern update of the classic 1939 George Cukor film, adapted from a play by Clare Booth Luce. Actually, it has little in common with either the play or the... Read the whole review at MatchFlick
Posted on September 16, 2008
Posted on September 15, 2008
