THE REMAKE of The Women, first filmed by George Cukor in 1939 and based on the play by Clare Luce Booth, has handily been released only months after Sex in the City.
Like SITC, The Women is set in the wealthier enclaves of New York City and prominently features female bonding. The crucial difference is that the much-discussed men in the women’s lives are conspicuously absent throughout the film, existing either in remote offices or at the end of a phone.
The ever winsome Meg Ryan plays Mary Haines, a contented if busy housewife whose stockbroker husband is having an affair with a saleswoman, Crystal (Eva Mendes ). Mary’s best friend Sylvie (Annette Bening ), a hardboiled magazine editor, attempts to be supportive, as do Mary’s other friends Edie (Debra Messing ) and Alex (Jada Pinkett-Smith ).
However Sylvie faces problems of her own: her magazine isn’t selling well and her boss wants to fire her. Meanwhile Crystal simply sees her affair as a quick route into financial security.
The first half of the film is somewhat enjoyable, featuring sharp one-liners and a snappy pace. As Mary’s life begins to disintegrate, however, everything slows down and the tone shifts from wry and witty observation to sentimental journeys towards personal affirmation.
The soundtrack throughout is alternatively bouncy and maudlin, providing an irritating cacophony rather than subtly complementing the action.
Ryan delivers another wide eyed, cutesy, performance here. In contrast, the steely Bening is on reliably good form, veering between cynicism and hidden fear. Messing, probably best known as flaky Grace from Will and Grace, is surprisingly appealing as the kooky Edie.
Messing recognises there is more than one way to play quirky, and convinces in an underwritten role. Pinkett-Smith is oddly believable as a hedonistic lesbian writer.
Candace Bergen has a small but crucial role and is excellent in it, stealing the scene from Ryan every time. Finally, the pleasingly acidic Carrie Fisher is impressive in a cameo role as a nasty tabloid columnist.
Some of the original observations from Booth’s 1930s play clearly still have resonance and bite today. However the humour of the dialogue becomes lost under an increasing tide of mawkish sentiment, resulting in yet another feelgood film about (wealthy ) women’s friendships. See the original 1939 film, with superb performances by Joan Crawford and Rosalind Russell, instead.
