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Overall Rating
 Awesome: 10.63%
Worth A Look: 30.63%
Just Average: 26.88%
Pretty Crappy: 20%
Sucks: 11.88%
12 reviews, 88 user ratings
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What Women Want (2000) |
by Nuwanda
"It's good, but it can wait for video"

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As there are so many quality movies to see right now with the Oscar rush, I wasn't into seeing this Hollywood mega-buster. I fought hard on the weekend to get my friends to any of the good arthouse movies coming out, but they weren't budging. They weren't in the mood for something intellectual. So, we ended up with the seemingly mindless What Women Want. I begrudgingly followed my friends to the doors of the theatre with a scowl on my face. That scowl didn't take long to turn to a smile.In the film, ladies man Nick Marshall, (Mel Gibson) gets electrocuted and wakes up with the ability to hear women's thoughts. This premise lends itself beautifully to the prospectof many humorous and insightful moments. The film weighs in heavier in the humor category, focusing less on the substantial aspects of women's nature. And, in some respects, it's best left that way. If the director had chosen to explore some of the more dark aspects of the women's psyche, she would have ended up with a dramatic film.
However, the film is not without it's soulful moments. An effective sub-plot with a depressed girl gives the film the balance that it required to save it from being pure fluff. Also noteworthy is the attention that is paid to women who feel coerced into having sex, taking a guy home, etc. That part was highly truthful, and also somewhat painful for me to watch. The scenes are done delicately, however, so that they are not 'man-bashing' or biased in any way.
The only cheese is at the end with this scene that is all about 'who's saving who' and all that crap. That grated my nerves a little. At least it shows the woman saving the man for a change. But really, the only people that we can save are ourselves. And I guess if it took Hollywood 50 years to change it from the man saving the woman, it might take another 50 years for them to realize that the whole 'saving' idea to begin with, is foolish and somewhat dangerous.
But, I won't hold my breath waiting for Hollywood movies to become more realistic.A good shot at the feminist perspective, and funny, this film is definitely worth a look. It won't change your life, but it should make you laugh, and possibly think a little.
link directly to this review at https://www.hollywoodbitchslap.com/review.php?movie=3906&reviewer=116 originally posted: 01/17/01 14:59:45
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USA 15-Dec-2000 (PG-13) DVD: 16-Jan-2007
UK N/A
Australia 11-Jan-2001 (M)
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