Books and Movies

I went to see The Women with my best friend Sunday night. The theater was filled with women - and one man accompanying his girlfriend. It looked like early days in the relationship, the time when you can still drag your man to a chick flick - especially one called The Women.

I had heard some snarky reviews, so I wasn’t quite sure what I would think. But it was an evening out without our kids, so that always works in the movie’s favor. And I really liked it! Yes, it is irreverent in places, and I definitely won’t let my daughter see it for a good long while. But it’s a perfect film for a girls’ night out with your sisters or best gal pals.

Meg Ryan plays Mary Haines, the wife of a rich wall street mogul. The crazy thing is that her husband is a major part of the film, but we never see him. In fact, there are no men in the entire movie - not even extras. She finds out that her husband is having an affair with the spritzer girl from the perfume counter at Saks, and her life begins to unravel.

She’s not alone in her predicament, though; she has three close girlfriends who are trying their best - and sometimes failing - to support her. Debra Messing is absolutely hilarious as the frazzled, earth mother of four girls who is pregnant again in the hopes of finally having a boy. Annette Bening is Mary’s best friend, a woman torn between her desire to succeed as editor of a fashion magazine, and her desire to write about the things that really matter. Jada Pinkett-Smith is their gay friend who has trouble with commitment. And Eva Mendes is the “other woman” in Mary’s equation.

I loved the relationships between the women and the way the friendship between themwas so real and strong. The film deals with issues of betrayal - not just between husband and wife, but also between friends. What is too big to forgive? When do we humble ourselves and offer forgiveness because the relationship is too precious to lose?

My only beef with the movie was the fashion show at the end. Mary’s tween daughter is constantly talking about being “fat” - even though she’s practically a twig. She has a conversation with her mother’s friend where she admits to wanting to look like the models in the fashion magazine, and Bening’s character replies that those women don’t even look like that. Both Mary and her friend try to give her daughter the idea that she’s beautiful the way she is, and not to strive for an impossible ideal. But when Mary designs her own line of clothing and has a fashion show, all of the models she chooses look greatly in need of a sandwich - or a dozen. So what happened to the message she was trying to send her daughter?

Other than that, thought, it’s a great film about women and friendship.

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