The First Wives Club (B or 3/4 stars)
3 old friends circa age 50 decide to get revenge on the men in their lives who have dumped them for younger women in Hugh Wilson's imperfect, but campy comedy box office hit from 1996, 'The First Wives Club'. Bold Brenda (Bette Midler), entitled Elise (Goldie Hawn) & meek Annie (Diane Keaton) - who haven't seen each other since college years - are brought together again by the shock suicide of another friend of theirs, Cynthia (Stockard Channing). As they catch up on their lives, the 3 friends quickly realize that everything did not quite turn out the way they wanted it to.
Brenda's ex-hubby, Morty (Dan Hedaya), an appliance king, has left her with their son to raise on her own and has run-off with the vapid & sprightly, Shelly (Sarah Jessica Parker). Elise is an Academy Award-winning actress, now downgraded to "B" movies and, her husband, Bill (Victor Garber) has left her for another woman (Elizabeth Berkley); he's suing her for 1/2 her worth, as well. And Annie's husband, Aaron (Stephen Collins), is in the midst of leaving her for someone she trusts, her therapist (Marcia Gay Harden). The women decide they've 'had it' and, thusly, form "The First Wives Club". Determined to get justice for the anguish they have suffered, the trio set-out to ruin their former hubby's lives and, in the process ... bond as friends, once again. To do so, they employ the help of a socialite (Dame Maggie Smith), Annie's lesbian daughter (Jennifer Dundas), an interior decorator (Bronson Pinchot), & a mob leader (Philip Bosco).
The premise for this film is tons of fun - the trio concocting a devious, yet clever plan to hit their exes where it hurts - $$. There are fun cameos; including Ed Koch, Gloria Steinem, Ivana Trump, Eileen Heckart, Timothy Olyphant & Kathy Lee Gifford. The script is full of humorous & b*tchy one-liners. And they're delivered with verve by our 3 expert thespian lead actresses. I also like that the film addresses society's negative perception of aging women. Now, the film sags a bit in the middle. And some might say that the film backtracks on its initial premise by the end -- and I CAN see that. But the whole thing is just a fun, star actress vehicle for the 3 leads that it is hard not to be exceedingly entertained by most of it, anyway.
The saccharine ending is redeemed in the final minutes by an exhilarating post-party performance by the 3 leads of Lesley Gore's "You Don't Own Me". The film needed that fantastic shot in the arm because the narrative energy had started to wane down the home stretch. Some may argue that while the men in this film are creeps, and while the women who take-up with them are creeps ... our main trio ain't exactly sympathetic angels, either. I think, to that, we love Bette Midler {and her spunk}, Goldie Hawn {and her brand of humor}, & Diane Keaton {and her zaniness} so much that we just choose to identify with them as performers, if not exactly the characters they are portraying. Decent movie; elevated by the memorable closing moments.
Brenda's ex-hubby, Morty (Dan Hedaya), an appliance king, has left her with their son to raise on her own and has run-off with the vapid & sprightly, Shelly (Sarah Jessica Parker). Elise is an Academy Award-winning actress, now downgraded to "B" movies and, her husband, Bill (Victor Garber) has left her for another woman (Elizabeth Berkley); he's suing her for 1/2 her worth, as well. And Annie's husband, Aaron (Stephen Collins), is in the midst of leaving her for someone she trusts, her therapist (Marcia Gay Harden). The women decide they've 'had it' and, thusly, form "The First Wives Club". Determined to get justice for the anguish they have suffered, the trio set-out to ruin their former hubby's lives and, in the process ... bond as friends, once again. To do so, they employ the help of a socialite (Dame Maggie Smith), Annie's lesbian daughter (Jennifer Dundas), an interior decorator (Bronson Pinchot), & a mob leader (Philip Bosco).
The premise for this film is tons of fun - the trio concocting a devious, yet clever plan to hit their exes where it hurts - $$. There are fun cameos; including Ed Koch, Gloria Steinem, Ivana Trump, Eileen Heckart, Timothy Olyphant & Kathy Lee Gifford. The script is full of humorous & b*tchy one-liners. And they're delivered with verve by our 3 expert thespian lead actresses. I also like that the film addresses society's negative perception of aging women. Now, the film sags a bit in the middle. And some might say that the film backtracks on its initial premise by the end -- and I CAN see that. But the whole thing is just a fun, star actress vehicle for the 3 leads that it is hard not to be exceedingly entertained by most of it, anyway.
The saccharine ending is redeemed in the final minutes by an exhilarating post-party performance by the 3 leads of Lesley Gore's "You Don't Own Me". The film needed that fantastic shot in the arm because the narrative energy had started to wane down the home stretch. Some may argue that while the men in this film are creeps, and while the women who take-up with them are creeps ... our main trio ain't exactly sympathetic angels, either. I think, to that, we love Bette Midler {and her spunk}, Goldie Hawn {and her brand of humor}, & Diane Keaton {and her zaniness} so much that we just choose to identify with them as performers, if not exactly the characters they are portraying. Decent movie; elevated by the memorable closing moments.