What Women Want Review
by Brandon Herring (HalloweenFan2K AT aol DOT com)December 31st, 2000
What Women Want * * * out of * * * *
Directed by: Nancy Meyers
Rated PG-13: sexual content, language.
Cast: Mel Gibson, Helen Hunt, Marisa Tomei, Lauren Holly, Delta Burke, Bette Midler.
Running Time: 126 Minutes
What if a man could hear what was in a woman's mind? What if you were a woman standing on the street, and a man was standing there with you listening to every thought you had, that's exactly what happens in Director Nancy Meyers delightfully new comedy "What Women Want" starring an all star cast with Mel Gibson, Helen Hunt, Lauren Holly, and Marisa Tomei.
Nick Marshall is your typical businessman: Low-key, abrasive, comical, charming, handsome. He has a daughter Alex who is a typical 15-year old, and while her Mom and new Step Dad is on their honeymoon, she stays with Nick for a few weeks. Many things however are going to change in Nick's life, he has a new boss Darcy Maguire (played fantastically by Helen Hunt), his daughter is planning on having sex, and after having an accident involving a bathtub, dryer, and women's accessories, Nick is about to change forever: He can head what women are thinking.
Surprised by this new thing he has, Nick isn't sure what to do with this, and while his job status is starting to dwindle down to nothing, his daughter hates him, and a woman is in love with him, Nick isn't sure what to do! After meeting with his old shrink Dr. Perkins (Bette Midler who in a small role is memorable) he realizes that he may just be the luckiest guy in the world. So he uses it the best he can, and when his company is offered a new account he uses this skill to come up with the best ideas he can. However obviously there is some downsides, he can hear what every woman is thinking about, about him, about someone else...and even his daughter.
"What Women Want" is a hilarious romantic comedy, guided throughout with a great performance from Mel Gibson, he dominates the screen throughout the slow parts, and through the cleverly written script. He brings the character of Nick Marshall to the screen, and embeds himself in our minds. Helen Hunt (her third appearance on the big screen this year, her fourth is released a week after this "Cast Away") clocks in yet another great performance right behind her "Pay It Forward" performance. She is a talented actress, and I am glad to see her in a role that seems to fit her quite well.
The rest of the supporting cast includes a wonderful performance by Marisa Tomei (too bad she hasn't had many jobs lately, she is an excellent actress), a funny performance from Loretta Devine, and a memorable cameo by the Diva herself Bette Midler. These people support the main cast, and to me it was the performers themselves who kept this movie afloat it's lengthy 126 minutes.
Nancy Meyers is a talented director, and this is no letdown, she does a great job directing the film, with some nice cinematography, but again the biggest flaw of the film is that is seems to go on and on and on, and almost an hour and forty minutes into it I started wriggling in my seat, knowing there was another twenty minutes left.
Although with this flaw in the end "What Women Want" is a treat for fans of Gibson and Hunt, they give great performances, and the movie is completely and totally entertaining throughout, go ahead give it a try and find out "What Women Want".
Reviewed by Brandon Herring 12/19/00
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