What Women Want (UK)

8 / 10
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Finally… a man is listening
Certificate: 12
Running Time: 121 mins
Retail Price: £19.99
Release Date:

Synopsis:
Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt light up the screen in this winning romantic comedy about a man who thinks he`s God`s gift to women - until he hears what they`re really thinking.

Gibson plays Nick Marshall, a swinging bachelor scaling the corporate ladder of one of Chicago`s hottest ad agencies. But Nick`s fast-track success is derailed when the agency overlooks him and hires beautiful Darcy McGuire (Helen Hunt) as the new creative director. As Nick`s prospects begin to dim, he is jolted by a freak accident that leaves him with an extraordinary ability: he can hear what women think - and want!

Using his newfound gift to his advantage, Nick schemes to undermine Darcy by listening to her thoughts and stealing her ideas until something happens that he didn`t account for - he hears his own inner voice…and realizes he`s in love. Co-starring Marisa Tomei, What Women Want is "a laugh-out-loud celebration of the sexes."

Special Features:
Interactive Menus
Scene Access
Theatrical Trailer
Cast & Crew Interviews
TV & Radio Spots
Interactive Quiz
Behind-The-Scenes Featurette
Commentary by Director Nancy Meyers & Production Designer Jon Hutman

Video Tracks:
Widescreen Anamorphic 1.85:1

Audio Tracks:
Dolby Digital 5.1 English

Subtitle Tracks:
English
CC: English

Directed By:
Nancy Meyers

Written By:





Starring:
Ashley Johnson
Alan Alda
Marisa Tomei
Helen Hunt
Mel Gibson

Casting By:
Howard Feuer
Deborah Aquila

Soundtrack By:
Alan Silvestri

Director of Photography:
Dean Cundey

Editor:
Stephen A. Rotter
Thomas J. Nordberg

Costume Designer:
Ellen Mirojnick

Production Designer:
Jon Hutman

Producer:
Gina Matthews
Bruce Davey
Susan Cartsonis
Bruce A. Block
Matt Williams
Nancy Meyers

Executive Producer:
Stephen McEveety
Carmen Finestra
David McFadzean

Distributor:
Paramount Pictures

Your Opinions and Comments

7 / 10
It`s a great idea for a film:- a man is able to hear what women are thinking and can therefore use this gift to his advantage....The possibilities are endless!, sadly though, the filmmakers didn`t push the concept enough for it to fulfil it`s potential.

Although it`s supposed to be a comedy (and tries hard), the "funny" parts feel rather forced. The early sections of the film have Gibson talking to himself "exposition style" and have him clowning around in his bathroom. Maybe the role was written with a comedian in mind, because several scenes rely on the main actor to be endearing/comical and Gibson falls a little short IMO. He`s a perfectly acceptable actor and usually very watchable, but when left alone in this film he seems a bit mis-cast. If they concentrated on the sci-fi/drama elements then he would have been perfect, but time and time again I felt slightly embarrassed on his behalf!. Maybe I`m over-stating things a little and he certainly got away with it, but I don`t think they played to Mel`s strengths at all.

Parts of the story show him utilising his "gift" and second-guessing Hunt`s character to great effect and in this part of the film I derived some limited entertainment, but overall I found it to be muddled and too old-fashioned. The soundtrack is dreadfully limp and uses the expected rom-com formula without too many changes, even the "modern" CD`s he obtains from his daughter are Meredith Brooks and Alanis Morissette (hardly up-to-the-minute) the rest of the music is the usual cheesy Sinatra snore-tunes.

They blew the film (for me anyway), when he`s walking down the street and can hear all those women at the same time (okay so far), but then he hears what a poodle says too??!. Rather than think "Oh my god! I can understand animals!" he just mentions it by-the-by and ignores it for the rest of the picture. So that was an overly stupid and childish thing to include and doesn`t gel at all with the heavy drama they lay on near the end.

So, that`s my feeling really, although there are some intriguing moments and some mildly funny ones, the whole thing hangs together very badly. The tone is quite indistinct and the final third is both tiresome and mis-judged at the same time. I suppose I`m being pretty harsh, but that`s because they`ve wasted such an interesting set-up and it`s a crying shame.

The A/V quality on the disc is great though and the thunder-storms sound particularly enveloping and realistic. The disc has a commentary, a few interviews and all the usual press-pack stuff, but the elaborate menu`s may lead you to expect more.

Basically then, an acceptable (but disappointing) movie. It tries really hard to please everyone and as such, misses the mark. It`s okay to rent and forget about I suppose, but I wouldn`t recommend buying it.
posted by Tony Vado on 15/8/2001 14:40