Rating: 
Summary: bitter truth
Review: Actress Rosanna Arquette takes on the film industry and its perceptions and expectations of "older" (late 30s, early 40s+) actresses, filmed in a documentary style in various interviews with actresses who are ultimately the subject of the film. (The title of the film refers to Debra Winger, of course, who basically retired from the film industry amidst being branded "difficult to work with" as well as a dearth of good scripts available for women, particularly as they age.) Arquette talks to a number of actresses about their struggles in the industry, culminating in an interview with Winger herself. The film gives an inside view of an interesting and untapped subject matter in which all the actresses have complaints and thoughts to share, but none are more interesting, pointed or intelligent than Winger's-her reputation for "difficulty" might well stem from her brutal honesty and insistence on telling things as they are. She refuses to sugarcoat anything or dumb herself down to appease others or to fit into a mold of what's expected, which is apparently what working in Hollywood means.
Rating: 
Summary: A Documentary That Should Be Seen By Everyone In Film
Review: Although I do believe too much time was spent on Arquette and Jane Fonda I am recommending this documentary highly-the interviews alone make this worth seeing. But I must say honestly that as I watched this film there was an unsaid reality shining through...None of the women who are consistently working were interviewed and I found that to be a shame and kind of defeating to much of what Arquette and the other women were trying to say. Where was Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchette, Meryl Streep, Judi Dench, Jessica Lange, Naomi Watts, Gena Rowlands, Anjelica Huston, Halle Berry, Susan Sarandon, Jodie Foster, Emily Watson, Patricia Clarkson, Ellen Burstyn, Kathy Bates, Diane Keaton, Annette Bening, Helen Mirren and Sissy Spacek. Just to name a few. All of those women are working and much of the reason they still are is because they are truly talented. The truth is there are many great actresses working today and getting good roles. Some of the women interviewed for this documentary except of course for Robin Wright Penn(she is definitely one of the best actresses working today and very underrated), Selma Hayek, Diane Lane, Whoopi Goldberg, Alfre Woodard, and Laura Dern leave much to be desired as far as I am concerned in terms of their talents. And Debra Winger I am sorry to say only did one good movie and that was Shadowlands. And Rosanna Arquette was never that much of an actress either. And another thing...There are plenty of male actors that are experiencing just about the same problems in the industry especially where age plays a role in casting. I think this whole idea of "f-ability" is a bit far fetched. Because if it were true Judi Dench would not be starring in the next "Pitch Black" movie sequel with bigger billing than Vin Diesel or Thandie Newton.
Rating: 
Summary: Navel Gazing
Review: As a feminist, I'd been eager to see "Searching for Debra Winger." Unfortunately, however, I'd agree that, although it has its fascinating moments, it's meandering and unfocused and also, on some levels, incredibly shallow. Rosanna Arquette becomes quickly annoying by calling everyone "amazing" and then the stars trip over themselves to return the adulation - they're all predictably taken with themselves. In fact, they fulfill the worst stereotypes of the self-obsessed and spoiled wealthy (even Whoopi Goldberg, although a humorous bright spot, openly admitted that she neglected her children because being a star was more interesting than being a mom). There's not much depth -- except by accident when Arquette bothers to talk to an intelligent and magnetic speaker like Jane Fonda; the interview with Fonda, in fact, is the highlight. When a table of Hollywood blondes, including a grotesque Melanie Griffith (lip collagen nightmare) lament that they aren't getting more challenging roles and are typecast by their looks, it seems more laughable than sympathetic. You mean, they don't realize they were hired for their looks in the first place? Surely there are other actresses who have aged gracefully and who don't utter cliches as if they've just been ingenious? Part of it, I believe, is Arquette's inadequacy in reining in her subjects and keeping things focused. When we finally get to Debra Winger, it's a bit of a let-down. I want her to challenge Arquette, yet there's more back-patting. And was Winger such an "amazing" actress, in the first place? I admit I wasn't taken enough with her ability to have given her absence from the screen much thought. I wonder more what happened to Brooke Adams who was very good (I did see her at the Academy Awards). But basically, I wonder why women try to make other women feel "inadequate" for actually pursuing a quality real life instead of work. I thought choice was part of what the women's movement was supposed to be about. It makes more sense to me, in fact, that a successful actress (like Debra Winger) would take a break from this path to smell the roses. Why on earth not?
In any event, a mixed bag, but still worth a look.
Rating:
Summary: Why did Debra Winger leave this business?
Review: Debra Winger left the Hollywood scene back in 1995, after receiving three Oscar nominations and only in her early thirties. This is nearly unheard of in Hollywood as budding actresses remain in the spotlight, perhaps not always making the best film choices. Rosanna wants to find an answer to the question as to why Winger left the glamour of Hollywood. She was a powerhouse in Hollywood, and just suddenly left the scene. Why? This should have been the focus of the documentary, but instead what happens is that we end up with several interviews with Hollywood heavyweights as they talk about the trials and tribulations of what it is like to be a mother, actress, and a multi-millionaire all at the same time. We hear words from the likes of Meg Ryan, Whoopi Goldberg, Melanie Griffith, Daryl Hannah, Salma Hayek, Holly Hunter, Diane Lane, Samantha Mathis, Frances McDormand, Gwyneth Paltrow, Martha Plimpton, Sharon Stone, Tracey Ullman, and Robin Wright Penn.
Throughout the film, these women guide us through a very chauvinistic Hollywood. We learn that Hollywood is not the place for an aging woman with desires to have a family. Continually torn between two classic Hollywood roles, the girlfriend or the old maid mother, these woman ravishly fight over anything fresh and new that comes to the table. The constantly endure the painful eye of the producer and director that grade them on the size of their breasts instead of the knowledge of their mind. Proving that a glass ceiling does exist, even in the most magical of places, just like in the real world. As these women talk and discuss life, we are continually getting closer and closer to our "hero" of the story, Debra Winger.
Overall, the fact that we "found" Winger within the first hour was the biggest let down of the film. On the other end of the spectrum, the high point is when Arquette comes clean and actually says that she has made some films "just to pay the bills". Always good to hear that the leader of this documentary possibly could be making this very film just to "pay the bills". I lost a lot of credibility to Rosanna after she said this. The better title for this film should have been, Searching for Jane Fonda. The fact that she is in this movie longer than Debra Winger only proves that Rosanna had no clue what she was doing. She led us on a very curvy road with several bumps that eventually placed us in the middle of nowhere. There was no direction and no point behind this movie. Within the first twenty minutes I was tired of the only words coming out of Rosanna's mouth being, "You were brilliant" or "You look amazing". She, perhaps not consciously, contributes to this stigma surrounding the women of Hollywood. Her filler spots where she talks to her child and travels the world seemed forced and unoriginal. The only point that this film proved was that Rosanna Arquette knows some very famous people in Hollywood, and have ultimately done much better than her. This was one of those films that high school nerds would make with aspiration to show women how popular they were. Arquette basically uses this documentary to boost herself up on a pedestal that she does not deserve to be anywhere near. Avoid this film at all costs, especially if you are a woman interested in the Hollywood scene. Searching for Debra Winger will only prove that documentaries can be scripted.
Grade: ** out of *****
Rating: 
Summary: Five stars for content -- whole lotta collective wisdom
Review: I salute Ms. Arquette for doing something original: piercing the facade of the successful actress stereotype and inducing a plethora of fascinating and accomplished women to speak openly about their life experiences. The film works well at a number of levels -- personally I am not AS interested in acting per se as I am in creativity in general, and there was ample interesting material on what it means to be creative, and on the tension between pursuing one's creativity and achieving balance in one's life. Beyond the creativity issue, there is the equally interesting question of how one should approach aging and what growing older means; it was an inspiration and a pleasure seeing so many women who are past their Hollywood "primes" talking about the pressures, but also the rewards, of aging. I suspect there are not many men who would enjoy this film, which is a shame because men face these issues too. But this film is a gold mine of material for women, and particularly female artists working in any medium. I also enjoyed the soundtrack. I only gave three stars because, notwithstanding the good concept and the excellent quality of some of the interviews, the film shifted focus a lot: one second we're hearing about how Hollywood only cares about sex appeal, the next we're hearing how hard it is for an actress to raise kids, the next we're hearing about the challenges of nurturing both an intimate relationship and a career, the next we're hearing about what it means to be an aging actress. And, actually, the nominal subject of the film, Debra Winger, raises a whole separate issue, which is why we even need the outward trappings of success to be "successful" in our lives and creative pursuits. Also, the camera work was pretty basic, and the editing of the piece as a "documentary" could have been much more imaginative. Other than using the scenes from "The Red Shoes," which was inspired, the film was almost nothing but talking heads. A few family photos would have been refreshing, for instance, when Ms. Arquette talked about her mother raising five creative kids and stifling her own creativity. Or some scenes from films in which some of the interviewees had starred. Or any little detail to enrich the film's texture. Although the comparison may be unfair, Michael Moore understands how to make a documentary visually riveting; just because a film is a "documentary" doesn't mean it should ignore the pursuit of "movie magic."
Rating:
Summary: This movie has amazing spirit!
Review: I stumbled upon this movie totally unexpectedly and I am absolutely delighted that I found it! What a wonderful idea to open up and search for answers by connecting to other people and in the process creating an inspiring piece of work! Thank you Rosana for that! I absolutely loved the way Jane Fonda described her flow experiences while filming certain pivotal scenes during her career. She touched my heart deeply... : ) Such a life affirming movie! You get that I am excited right? I will definitely make sure that I tell people about it because it is not often that we get to see the actresses we have grown so accustomed to watching on screen let us see their spirit in such fashion.Definitely see this movie!
Rating: 
Summary: Searching for a Complete Sentence: Arquette Bungles Issues
Review: I was hoping that Arquette, with so many talented women before her camera, would deliver fresh insights into the very real problem of sexism in movies. Instead, the woefully inarticulate Arquette leads us through a meandering flattery fest ("you're, like, so amazing") that only makes me resent these women for whining about what I consider a luxury: being able to choose whether to work or to raise children. Most women have no choice -- we have to work -- and if we want families too, we just have to sweat it out. I, too, would like to "express my art" (as Arquette ditsily describes the creative urge), but I don't have a six-figure income, so forgive me if I don't feel deep empathy for these liposucked navel gazers. When Jane Fonda described acting as "entering the soul" of her characters, I thought, Why doesn't she enter a Wallmart? Or a Starbucks? Do you think that women working in such places, trying to raise families and pay for health care and housing on minimum wage, see themselves in Jane Fonda, or Sharon Stone? I think not. Given how glaring the class issues are, I was disappointed that Arquette made no attempt to connect Hollywood's sexism to ordinary working women's lives, to find out what regular women think of the lack of big-screen stories about themselves -- not just as older women, but as working women.
I also couldn't help but notice Arquette's own emphasis on appearance, constantly telling the actresses how good they look, as if her point is that actresses over 40 should be cast in movies not because they're talented, but because they still look sexy.
Finally, every moment in which Arquette was on camera was an unfortunate eternity. She's incapable of putting two words together, yet managed to interrupt her interview subjects constantly, with such astute observations as "I mean, you've always been one of my heroes, for sure" (to Jane Fonda, reminding me of Chris Farley's 'nervous interviewer' character on Sat. Night Live).
I'm disappointed that Arquette took a serious issue -- sexism -- and trivialized it with her incompetent treatment.
Rating:
Summary: Is it possible to be this self-absorbed???
Review: I was looking forward to this movie, but as I'm watching it, I have to say "skip this film." These are basically a bunch of privileged, wealthy women, talking about how hard their lives are, and how unfair it is that older women can't get plum roles anymore. Hey ladies, it's called reality. This is what happens when you work in an industry that is totally geared toward youth and beauty. They don't get to spend enough time with their kids. Hey, what working mother does? At least the time they aren't spending with their kids is the time they're jetting off to Italy and France to shoot glamorous movies, rather than just your jerky boss in your boring office job asking you to stay late again. At least they can afford for their kids to live in luxury while they're on movie sets, rather than struggling to afford halfway decent child care. This movie is nothing but wealthy, privileged women belly-aching about the drawbacks of their glamorous wives, and I can't see how any working mom could watch it without wanting to vomit.
Rating:
Summary: Experience the real thing with Rosanna
Review: It seems so effortless, yet so rich in content and inspiring for people to take one step back and take a good look at today's Hollywood; especially in the light of actresses and their personal insight of their career. Thoughtful and well deserve your attention. Jane Fonda's interview was so engaging and powerful. A film from the heart of Rosanna Arquette not to be missed.
Rating:
Summary: Misses the point
Review: Ive wanted to watch this for a couple of years now and finally got around to it. I thought with all of the high profile actresses in it they would have something to say or it would be good. But I was left being very dissapointed.
Roseanna Arquette says she is on the search for Debra Winger, why did she leave the business? But it quickly turns into a film about Hollywood mom's. How they balance doing films with children. Usually it seems they move down to one movie a year.How does them working effect their children and their personal lives? Can they have it all? How can they do it???
I was dissapointed that really none of these women had much of anything interesting to say. Whoopi Goldberg is the highlight of the movie since she was able to make me laugh. Really what it came down to was "it's hard and it's a struggle". Well that's what everyone faces everywhere while raising families. There are some scenes that I found really interesting though. The one with Martha Plimpton and Ali Sheedy. Both 80's staples and now rarely seen. The both seemed very angry and bitter not at ageing or trying to "have it all" but from being typecast or not getting work. And the interview of Gwyneth Paltrow where she discusses her parents saving her from doing teen movies or sexually themed comedies and how it helped her career not to do a lot of sexual roles. Im not a prude but there was some pretty sexy stuff in "Shakespear in Love". I guess for her being naked and simulating sex is more "artistic" if the jokes are witty and high brow.
When Debra Winger is "found" its a let down. Roseanna seems to not understand that there is a life outside of Hollywood and its ok to leave fame.
None of the actresses (except for Martha Plimpton and Ali Sheedy) really seemed to be complaining about anything except how sexist Hollywood is. While Roseanna seems to be upset that she doesnt get work anymore.
What could have been a really great discussion about ageism in Hollywood or better yet (what should have been the real reason) why Debra Winger decided to leave the industry to have a real life turned into a pointless movie with unanswered questions and an annoying Arquette.
Your not really missing anything by NOT watching this movie. If you want to watch it to see how Arquette sucks up to other actresses then I guesse it would be good for that.
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