The Stepford Wives Review
by Laura Clifford (laura AT reelingreviews DOT com)June 14th, 2004
THE STEPFORD WIVES
------------------
Meek Walter Kresby (Matthew Broderick, "Election") wants a new life for his family after his wife, a once powerful network exec whose miscalculations cost her her job, suffers a nervous breakdown. New York City is left behind for the gated Connecticut community of Stepford, a utopia of McMansions and 1950s ideals. Walter's wife Joanna (Nicole Kidman, "Cold Mountain") tries to fit in, but she just cannot fathom "The Stepford Wives."
This completes what I hope is Nicole Kidman's trifecta of duds, following her miscast custodial worker of "The Human Stain" and her designer Civil War sufferer in "Cold Mountain." Director Frank Oz ("The Score," "Bowfinger") goes for breezy comedy over the original's satiric horror and screenwriter Paul Rudnick's ("Isn't She Great") update of the Ira Levin ("Rosemary's Baby") book is but a long-winded, eighty minute setup for one elaborate, climatic Martha Stewart joke.
The film's creepiest element is its opening credit montage of 1950s 'kitchens of the future' footage where June Cleeverish women exult over the joys of automated housework. It then segues into something approaching sharp satire as a fist-punching Joanna Eberhart addresses a convention of network affiliate execs with her new lineup of emasculating reality shows. When one of her show's losers (Mike White) shows up and attempts to assassinate her before doing himself and is family in, an uncomprehending Joanna is fired.
Walter quits his job at the same network and delivers his comatose wife to her new home and the welcoming arms of realtor Claire Wellington (Glenn Close playing Cruella Deville broad like a mummified drag queen). Walter loves attending the Men's Association club house, run by Claire's husband Mike (Christopher Walken underplaying his usual weirdness in a role that demanded it), but Joanna won't accept membership at the Stepford Spa, where women 'exercise' by aping household appliances in heels and pearls, nor is she stimulated by a book club that treasures the best collection of Christmas crafts over a presidential biography. Joanna finds compatriots in irreverent Jewish author Bobbi Markowitz (Bette Midler, "Isn't She Great") and flamboyantly gay Roger Bannister (Roger Bart, "The Insider"), but soon Bobbi is baking away in a pristine home and Roger has buttoned up to run for the State Senate.
Director Frank Oz ("The Score," "Bowfinger") just doesn't seem right for this material, although he had something going in the opening "Network" segment with Kidman in the field she wanted "To Die For." Things get mired down in the obvious as soon as Joanna and Walter attend a Stepford social function and witness Sarah Sunderson (prominently billed, but blink or you'll miss her Faith Hill) go haywire on the dance floor. 'She was sparking!' Joanna protests when Walter offers reassurances. There are occasional laughs mostly provided by Midler's caustic observations (her participation in the book club gathering is priceless), but for the most part, the film is as deadeningly dull as its plasticine wives. Rudnick's addition of a gay character as one of the 'wives' was a nice touch, but he abuses his central husband by jerking Walter's motivations hither and yon in order to make his plot work.
The film has a glossy look courtesy of Jackson De Govia ("The Score")'s Home and Gardens production design. Ann Roth's over the top costumes find a better fit here than her work in "Cold Mountain."
C
For more Reeling reviews visit http://www.reelingreviews.com
More on 'The Stepford Wives'...
Originally posted in the rec.arts.movies.reviews newsgroup. Copyright belongs to original author unless otherwise stated. We take no responsibilities nor do we endorse the contents of this review.
