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It just might take a miracle to turn a "man’s man"
into a "woman’s man." Still, in WHAT WOMEN WANT,
Mel Gibson works a miracle of his own by changing
from action hero to romantic comedy lead without
skipping a beat. Playing a chauvinistic
advertising executive who becomes more sensitive
to women, Gibson delivers an engaging performance
filled with energy and enthusiasm. Sure, he may
look goofy sometimes, especially struggling into a
pair of panty hose and putting on make-up, but
that just adds to his charm. And leading lady
Helen Hunt matches Gibson with a brilliant turn as
his beautiful, intelligent boss.
Nick Marshall (Gibson) thinks he’s God’s gift to
women. His mother, a Las Vegas showgirl, raised
him around a bevy of glamour girls, so he feels
comfortable with gorgeous women. His two
assistants (Delta Burke and Valerie Perrine) cater
to his every whim. His ex-wife (Lauren Holly) even
invites him to her wedding. Enjoying the bachelor
life, Nick reluctantly agrees to take care of his
teenage daughter (Ashley Johnson) until her mother
returns from her honeymoon. Uneasy in the parental
role (his daughter calls him "Uncle Dad"), Nick
begins one of the relationships that will alter
his life by making him more understanding of the
opposite sex.
His other key relationship involves Darcy McGuire
(Hunt), a talented woman hired for the job Nick
thought he would get. Although stunned by her
beauty and competence, he tries to sabotage her by
stealing her ideas. This suddenly becomes easy for
him because, as the result of a freak accident, he
actually hears women’s inner thoughts. Of course,
falling in love with Darcy was not in his plan,
but she’s so great he just can’t resist. How many
men could? Playing a role completely opposite to
the alcoholic single mother in PAY IT FORWARD, the
amazing Hunt (Oscar-winner for AS GOOD AS IT GETS)
endows her character with elegance, sensitivity,
and strength. Hunt’s Darcy emerges as a wonderful
role model for today’s women.
Nick’s gift also allows him to discover what women
really think about him --- that he’s a jerk. His
off-color jokes and patronizing manner irritate
most of his female co-workers. Fortunately, he
finds out what women want is to be listened to and
taken seriously. (I think that goes for men too.)
Naturally, this insight boosts his career, but at
Darcy’s expense.
Director Nancy Meyers certainly knows her stuff
where romantic comedies are concerned. She also
directed the amusing update of Disney’s THE PARENT
TRAP and co-wrote PRIVATE BENJAMIN, FATHER OF THE
BRIDE, and BABY BOOM. Hunt compliments Meyers by
saying, "The great thing about Nancy is that she’s
absolutely in love with the Tracy/Hepburn movies,
so there’s a classic feel to our movie. That means
it’s smart and well-thought out. And the
relationships between every character in the movie
are funny and real too."
A witty screenplay by Josh Goldsmith and Cathy
Yuspa, who write for television’s popular "King of
Queens," also contributes to the success of this
entertaining movie. For example, when Gibson’s
character complains to his psychiatrist about
hearing women’s innermost thoughts, she (a subdued
Bette Midler) tells him, "If men are from Mars and
women are from Venus, he who speaks Venutian can
rule the world!"
Deftly combining comedy and romance, WHAT WOMEN
WANT emphasizes the importance of communication
between the sexes. It’s refreshing to see Gibson
in this type of movie. Not only does he appear to
be having a great time, he also displays a
surprising talent for dancing. One delightful
scene features the Oscar-winning director (for
BRAVEHEART) in a solo number reminiscent of Gene
Kelly or Fred Astaire. Here is a new Mel Gibson,
and I like it!
(Released by Paramount Pictures and rated "PG-13"
for sexual content and language.)
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