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Dr. T & The Women

Dr. T & The Women

List Price: $9.98
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Perfect Altman - not for everybody.
Review: I'll be very brief. This movie is as Altman-ish as it can be - that's it, end of story. If you don't like Altman or don't know who Robert Altman is, then I suggest you keep watching your beloved Adam Sandler and stop wasting your time writing these reviews. For all Altman fans - IT IS A GREAT MOVIE! Absolutely on par with The Player or Short Cuts, but then again, I like all his movies without exceptions. I added this DVD to my collection without any hesitation and I recommend it to any Altman fan.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Good Cast horrible movie
Review: I cannot understand why these artists took roles in this turkey. This is without a doubt one of the worst movies I have seen in my life.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: A Terrible Waste Of Money And Talent
Review: I like Richard Gere....I like Helen Hunt...I like Laura Dern...but this movie is TERRIBLE! What a waste of talent!

It was worse than a waste of money...the movie was so terrible that I did something with a video, I have never ever done before! I threw it in the trash! Sad to say but true.

I don't recall ever seeing such a worthless, tacky movie! If I could have gave it a zero star, I certainly would have.

Don't waste your money...go spend it on a video worthy of being in your video library!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Terrible movie
Review: Don't waste your money buying this movie. Richard Gere and Helen Hunt are great in other movies but not this one. The plot is horrible. I can't believe they agreed to star in it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Doesn't Altman deserve your serious consideration?
Review: A hugely, hugely, underrated gem chronicling what it takes for one man to reach his breaking point. Altman's techniques (long shots, people chattering over each other) were tremendously effective in establishing the escalating level of external stress on Gere's character. The comedy wasn't focused on punch lines, so it flew over most people's heads. The film's twin miracles that cap it off were as brilliant as those in P. T. Anderson's great Magnolia, if a bit easier to swallow. This seems to be one of the most overlooked films of recent years... I am sure time will reevaluate it kindly.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Confusing plot threads that never weave into a whole
Review: In spite of a crowd of fine actors, this film was a major disappointment. It is a tale of friends and family members, all centered around a Dallas Gynocologist, Dr. T (Richard Gere). Dr. T has three problems: his daughter is getting married, even though she's really in love with her maid of honor; his wife has developed a mental illness and is institutionalized; and he is having an affair with his golf instructor, played by Helen Hunt.
All of the various plot threads never come together to produce a story with anything resembling a point or a plot.

One example is a female relative who is helping to plan the daughter's wedding. We see several scenes where she is imbibing a bit too much...staying behind to drink a last glass of champagne, or downing a white wine. Obviously, the director wants us to know there may be a drinking problem developing. But it is never used later in the movie to impact any character development or story resolution. It is just forgotten, and I got the impression they were making the movie up as they were filming it, not working from a hard script.

The end of the film seems to underscore this. Dr. T's daughter is rained out at her wedding by the lake, and as Dr. T drives off in his convertible, he runs into a tornado which plucks him out of Dallas and deposits him, disheveled but unhurt, somewhere in Mexico, where he is immediately recruited to deliver a baby. The ending was unbelievable and in my opinion, absurd. Worse, it was just a way to end the movie, without any plot resolution or epiphany by any of the major characters. An epiphany is a moment or realization, the moral of the story, what the major character learns from his experience (and the audience too, vicariously). There is no epiphany, except maybe that even great stars don't always read the script before accepting the role.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: 2nd Worst Movie I Have Ever Seen
Review: Pretty harsh, I know, but allow me to elaborate:

My wife and I had high hopes for this movie. I'm completely comfortable with the gynecological subject and we thought it might be a funny movie for us both to enjoy. We hadn't realized the cast selection was so good and as a result our expectations were raised when we saw the opening credits...Helen Hunt, Liv Tyler, Farah Faucett...even Andy Richter (from Late Night With Conan OBrien). Now halfway through the movie I had the feeling that the story wasn't going anywhere and I was confused at all the directions the producer was trying to take us and all the various and seemingly unnecessary storylines. I still held out hope since many movies tie it all up in the end. However, in the end all the storylines ended up coming to a quick, no rushed close that seemed unbelievable and illogical. AND, the movie was often funny but hinted at a darkness that I sort of felt like we shouldn't be laughing at. The ending was the stupidest part of the entire film...so much so that I thought Dr. T was a dreaming it and they were only kidding. When the screen fading to signify the ending of the movie I was downright mad that we had wasted a couple hours of our time with such an incredibly dumb movie. It was hardly entertaining and I'm NOT normally a harsh critic.

So my recommendation is that you stay away from this movie unless you REALLY like the subject or the actors and actresses. The acting was good in parts.

Just for reference sake, the worst movie I have ever seen was Congo, about the wild monkeys, etc. Dr. T and the women ranks a pretty close and my wife agrees with me (Yes I did ask her).

One final note - the final scene contains a birth scene that depicts a realistic, albeit very quick, vaginal birth and you see everything.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: What was this?
Review: See 'pixiedust4u' Spotlight review. It is accurate and hits every point I could make.

I could write a book about how awful this movie was, although I enjoyed the acting. But, why should I waste more of my time. On the List of Best Known and Appreciated Actors in a Horrible Film, this should hold #1 spot for a long while.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Stoic, Aloof Film from Robert Altman
Review: A universal fact of life, and one of the common elements that tie us all together, is that everyone-- in one way or another-- has problems; or 'Life experiences,' if you prefer. All of which, on an individual basis, illustrates what the great philosopher once referred to as the Human Comedy, and which 'Dr. T and the Women,' directed by Robert Altman, demonstrates cinematically with more than a touch of irony and some insight into human nature. And, as often happens with a film of this type, it was mistakenly promoted as a comedy, which ultimately may have had a negative impact on the way it was initially received by the public at large. It is amusing to be sure, and downright funny at times, but only in the way that life is in general, even in the wake of tragedy; hence the saying, 'That's life.'

The story centers on Dr. Sullivan Travis (Richard Gere), a gynecologist with a wife, two daughters and a successful practice, who is well liked and admired by his patients. And he should be; he's good looking and charismatic, but most importantly, he's a good doctor. But his personal life is quickly becoming something of a shambles. His eldest daughter, Dee Dee (Kate Hudson), is about to be married, his youngest, Connie (Tara Reid), is a conspiracy theory activist and his wife, Kate (Farrah Fawcett), to whom he is devoted, is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. He makes a valiant attempt at holding it all together and trying to please everyone, but as always happens in a situation like this, eventually something has to give. And when it does, it leaves the good doctor at loose ends and forces him to take stock of his life and what it all means, if anything.

The first fifteen minutes or so of this movie is so hectic it is nerve-shattering and guaranteed to increase adrenaline levels, and your first reaction may be to scream 'Enough already!' as the agitation and anxiety that fills the waiting room of Dr. T's office threatens to explode off the chart. But discomfiting as it may be at the moment, it really puts you in the story, and in the final analysis it's a good piece of filmmaking by Altman, because it's the turmoil of the waiting room that becomes the manifestation of Dr. T's inner state of confusion and enables you to relate to him, which in turn gives a vital and necessary perspective to the film.

The performances are solid, though only a couple stand out as especially noteworthy. Gere is believable as the doctor (quite unlike Tom Cruise in 'Eyes Wide Shut,' who came across as an actor playing a doctor), and maintains the reality of the character by avoiding any superfluous dramatics; he plays him as a man who is what he is and nothing more. Helen Hunt is good, as always, playing somewhat against type as Bree Davis, a fairly self-absorbed golf pro with rather ambiguous morals, who is willing to give only if what she receives in turn is satisfying to her (Bree is a character of whom Ayn Rand would be proud). And Farrah Fawcett does a nice job as Kate, but lacks the screen time necessary to really develop her character; the perspective you get of her is established mainly through Dr. T and some of the other characters as they speak of her.

Hudson, Reid and Liv Tyler (Marilyn) are all credible in their respective characters, but there is certainly nothing endearing about any of them. Not that they are unlikable, but because of the way that Altman presents his characters, these are people about whom it is easy to adopt an ambivalent attitude. The same can be said of Laura Dern, in a somewhat forgettable supporting role as Peggy. And one can only suspect that this was done intentionally, as it allows Altman to keep the focus of the film on Dr. T. As Carolyn, the woman who runs Dr. T's office, Shelley Long gives one the most memorable performance of the film. As something of an integral, yet peripheral part of Dr. T's life, she is charming and funny-- not to mention agreeably attractive-- and adds some real spunk to the film. And Janine Turner, as Dorothy, is also impressive as one of Dr. T's patients. These are the two characters, in fact, who really bring this film to life.

Of all of the actors in the film, the usually dependable Lee Grant is the only one who gives a somewhat disappointing performance. In a brief appearance as Dr. Harper, her delivery is too stagy and overblown; in a scene in which she is having a conversation with Dr. T, for example, rather than coming across as a real person having a real discussion with another, she looks like an actor playing a part. It's a performance that may have worked in live theater, but for the intimacy of film it was too much (Olympia Dukakis had the same problem in 'Steel Magnolias).

Rounding out the supporting cast are Robert Hays (Harlan), Matt Malloy (Bill) and Andy Richter (Eli). Altman has a rather stoic, almost aloof way of telling a story, which makes 'Dr. T and the Women' difficult to embrace emotionally, but it is a good story, and the subtlety of the presentation may invite a reflective moment or two. If you want comedy, look elsewhere; but for an interesting-- though somewhat quirky-- drama, this may fit the bill.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: a tragic waste of celluloid
Review: First of all, I would like to state that this movie contains a terrific cast. That's the good side. Everything else is downhill.

Roger Ebert, as well as other critics, gave this movie good reviews. Ole Rog' gave it 3 stars. Personally, I find it difficult to belief that an intelligent movie critic like Roger would rate this so highly. Maybe "Payolla" isn't limited to just the music industry.

While I watched this dreck, I couldn't help but think to myself -- "My God! It's going to take 5 hours to tie together all of these loose ends." No dialog is spared in the attempt to piece everything together. I watched in total disbelief at how bad everything (script/plot/acting) was in this movie. When I started to think that the movie couldn't get any worse, it did. Oh...but you MUST rent it just to witness one of the most bizarre and disgusting endings in movie history. Unbelievable!

Quite frankly, it's too bad that MST3K never riffed on this one. It would have helped tremendously.

If you want to know more about the plot, please read the other reviews as I have (with the help of a psychiatrist) tried to come to terms and block out all memory of this movie.


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