What Women Want

Rating:
Summary: Cute movie...better to rent than buy
Review: I was really excited about this movie when I first saw the theatrical trailer and billed it as a must see for me. I am the type who likes some mysteries, romantic comedies, cute little movies that entertain me but that do not make me think too much. This movie accomplished just that.

I enjoyed watching Helen Hunt and Mel Gibson side by side as they had the kind of chemistry to make a romance feasible. Mel Gibson's character starts out as the typical ladies man who uses all kinds of lines to get women into bed with him and thinks that he is god's gift to women. After a life changing experience, he is able to actually hear what women are thinking and it leads him to realize that every woman doesn't want him. It makes him a little more sensitive in some situations, although he uses this newfound ability to manipulate his new boss.

I actually found myself laughing out loud at this cute little movie, but it may be funnier when rented on video/DVD. I'm not sure if I would watch it again and again. However, if you like harmless romantic comedies and want to be entertained and laugh a bit, this one may be for you.

Rating:
Summary: Definitely What I Want
Review: Now here's a great movie. You got Mel Gibson playing a chauvanistic ad executive whose only primary goal in life is to get ahead in the business world, be a mediocre father, and nail every woman he possible can. Doesn't sound that appealing actually, does it? But alas, it makes for a brilliantly funny movie.

Gibson plays Nick, who lives each day to his Frank Sinatra records. He's crude and brash, but those baby blues are hard to resist. When he thinks he's about to be promoted, he learns that his boss hired a woman named Darcy (played by Helen Hunt)for the job he desperately wanted. The first thing she does is assign a fun project for all her fellow advertisers-- try out several women's products (mascara, lipstick) and come up with a tag line for them. Nick is, of course, totally annoyed, but he does it anyway, falling in the bathtub after slipping on little bath pearls and electrocuting himself with a hair dryer. And BAM! He can suddenly hear what women think. What he at first sees as a curse, a therapist (played by a funny Bette Midler) tells him he's got a power most men dream of-- he knows what women want! So the story unfolds with Nick learning about the women in his life and even having an actual relationship with Darcy.

This movie is funny and smart, and I never pictured Gibson in this role, although he fits it like a glove. The best kind of movie is the one where you actually believe the actors to be the people they're playing. Gibson has that effect nailed. The movie could have, however, done without the romance actually. Yes, perhaps that's odd of me to say considering that many people will class this movie as a romantic comedy. It would have been just fine with Nick learning about himself and seeing what exactly he could do to make the women around him feel less offended.

Bottom line-- this movie is definitely worth seeing. I recommend it to any man who doesn't know what women want at all to perhaps get a few pointers from a fellow clueless man. And those baby blues of Gibson's will have women swooning. It's well done, well directed, well acted, and well played out. See this one!

Rating:
Summary: What WERE they thinking?
Review: Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt are both fine actors, and no doubt have their choice of dozens of great roles anytime they want them. So how did they wind up in this stilted, overprouduced piece of jetsam? I should know by now that any film written or directed by Nancy Meyers is going to stink, but somehow I watched this one anyhow. Big mistake! Every scene feels contrived; you can just see the writers going "now comes the scene where.... "

If the same premise had been developed by the "Seinfeld" team, it could have been hilarious. As-is, it's heavy-handed and moralizing through and through. And Gibson gives his hammiest performance since ... well, ever. Ugh! I'm giving it two stars (rather than one) because Helen Hunt's warmth and sincerity make it at least bearable, and the production values are quite good for the most part.

Rating:
Summary: What WERE they thinking?
Review: Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt are both fine actors, and no doubt have their choice of dozens of great roles anytime they want them. So how did they wind up in this stilted, overproduced piece of jetsam? I should know by now that any film written or directed by Nancy Meyers is going to stink, but somehow I watched this one anyhow. Big mistake! Every scene feels contrived; you can just see the writers going "now comes the scene where.... "

If the same premise had been developed by the "Seinfeld" team, it could have been hilarious. As-is, it's heavy-handed and moralizing through and through. And Gibson gives his hammiest performance since ... well, ever. Ugh! I'm giving it two stars (rather than one) because Helen Hunt's warmth and sincerity make it at least bearable, and the production values are quite good for the most part.

Rating:
Summary: A pretty funny movie, but too long.
Review: "What Women Want" tells the story of a man who thinks he's God's gift to women, until he receives a little gift of his own: the ability to hear what women think. The movie stars Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt, both of whom give excellent performances and have a unique chemistry which is not explosive but still convincing. The movie has everything going for it, but the third act fizzles out and the laughs die too quickly, which takes away from the luster of the genuinely funny scenes in the beginning and mid- sections.

Gibson was the ideal choice for Nick Marshall, a hotshot advertising executive whose company has just hired Darcy McGuire instead of him as the new creative director. Her approach to boosting sales focuses on marketing products to women, and each of the meeting attendees are given a box full of women's products. As Nick tries out the products in order to get a feel for the ideas Darcy is looking for, a freak accident gives him the unthinkable power of hearing womens' thoughts and feelings.

At first intimidated by his newfound ability, Nick soon gains control over his fear and is able to use it to his advantage, hoping that stealing Darcy's ideas and making them his own will get him the position and her out of the company. But he soon starts falling in love with her, and finds out that what he is doing isn't such a good idea after all, especially when she is fired.

The comedy of the film has a certain sophistication which rises above such comedies as "American Pie" or "Scary Movie." It never goes into the gross-out category, nor does it push the envelope. Our protagonist, Nick, goes through everything a normal man would avoid: waxing his legs, applying mascara to his eyes, nail polish, and listening to Meredith Brooks' "Bitch" while trying on black pantyhose and a push-up bra. His awkwardness in taking on these tasks is absolutely hilarious. More comic relief comes when he hears womens' thoughts, especially that of the guard at his building, who has a hidden attraction for him.

The movie is a subconscious battle of the sexes, with Nick trying to mold himself into what each of the women he comes in contact with wants. The men in the audience will agree with the confusion he goes through as he turns himself into a sex machine for the girl in the coffee shop, while putting on the sensitive charm and man-oriented jokes for the women at work. This is some of Gibson's best work, and his ability to go from emotion to emotion is a testament to that ability and stamina.

His supporting cast includes a lot of well-knowns, most of whom have small cameos. Helen Hunt has all the look, charm and appeal of a real advertising creative director; she's the kind of actress who you could believe in a role like this. Marisa Tomei is a riot in her role as the coffee shop waitress, while Lauren Holly gives a small yet winning performance as Nick's ex-wife. Alan Alda makes an appearance as the head of the company, while Delta Burke and Bette Midler appear as well. This is one of those sparkling casts that shines no matter what the material, and their interactions are natural and make the movie enjoyable.

The only thing preventing this movie is its length, which will certainly have an effect on the overall movie after it ends. The first two thirds of the movie are comedic brilliance, helmed by Gibson, but once the awkwardness of his situation gives way to the budding romance between Nick and Darcy, the movie slows down considerably, dragging out over the course of almost an hour as Nick debates whether or not to tell her about sabotaging her job. The comedy also comes to a halt, and while there are a few laughs left over, the chuckles and side-splitting laughter which comes with earlier moments is lost to the lengthy melodrama.

Still, "What Women Want" is a funny movie which does succeed in delivering laughs. Gibson does some of his best comedic work here, and this will be remembered as one of his best roles. Though the film lacks a solid ending, within the overall film lies an intriguing look at the battle of the sexes and how it shapes our lives.

Rating:
Summary: THE CRITICS WERE WRONG...
Review: This movie is surprisingly charming, given the fact that critics pilloried it when it first came out. All I can say is that Mel Gibson still has what it takes to be a leading man in a romantic comedy.

The movie certainly opens promisingly enough with a hilarious sneak preview into the childhood of the main character, Nick, a top advertising agency executive that Mel Gibson plays with great aplomb. Nick is a divorced, male chauvinist who thinks that he is God's gift to women. Unfortunately, as so many men of this type are, he is dead wrong. He is just a man's man who thinks that he is a ladies' man.

He begins to get his comeuppance when the coveted job of Creative Director, to which he is expecting to be promoted, is offered to someone outside the agency, another advertising whiz named Darcie, affectingly played by Helen Hunt. She gets the job, rather than he, so that the agency might be better able to tap into the women's market. She is now his new boss, and Nick is not happy.

After their first meeting, the disgruntled Nick goes home and drinks himself into a stupor. Look for the wonderful dance routine done in best Fred Astaire style. It is a charming salute to an all time great. While in his inebriated state, however, Nick has a shocking accident (pun intended) that enables him to be able to read women's minds.

This ability causes him some distress, as he is amazed to find out what women really think of him, and it is not always flattering. It also enables him to please women as never before, as he is able to read their innermost thoughts and anticipate their needs. It even helps him repair his relationship with his fifteen year old daughter who is undergoing teenage angst.

He uses this ability, however, to trump Darcie, unbeknownst to her, as he has every intention of getting the job he coveted. What he does not anticipate is falling in love with her. This certainly puts a kink into his plans. The question is whether love will triumph. Watch the movie and find out.

The contrivance of being able to read women's minds creates some very funny scenes and interesting situations. It also allows Nick's character to grow as a person and become more three dimensional. There is a strong supporting cast that includes Delta Burke, Marisa Tomei, and an unbilled cameo by by Bette Midler. This is an engaging film that, oddly enough, is sure to delight both men and women, and Mel Gibson, with his easy going charm, is definitely what women want.

Rating:
Summary: R.o.m.a.n.t.i.c! 16th april 2004.
Review: Such a brill film, see it. ROMANTIC TOOOOOO.

Rating:
Summary: Mel Gibson...The Patriot in Pantyhose
Review: WHAT WOMEN WANT is a light-hearted romantic comedy that makes a statement, a statement that emphatically suggests that men do not know what women want; nevertheless, Nick Marshall (Mel Gibson) is the consummate chick magnet, working for a high-powered advertising agency, Sloane Curtis. His boss (Alan Alda) is concerned about his company losing the women's market, so he hires the tough and beautiful Darcy McGuire (Helen Hunt) instead of promoting Nick to the position. Nick is jealous and sets out to prove that he does understand women, but only with the aid of a supernatural gift that allows him to hear women's thoughts.

This is a different role for Gibson unlike the tough guy image he usually portrays. He does a Sinatra song and dance routine with flair, puts on a pair of pantyhose, and adds a little makeup in one segment. He is totally out of character, but his performance will impress you; furthermore, Helen Hunt is simply one of the best in the business. This is an entertaining movie with a good message for both men and women in their pursuit of relating to each other.

Rating:
Summary: Meeting of the Minds
Review: I found What Women Want to be an enlightening fun jaunt about relationships. Mel Gibson (Nick Marshall) does his best when he is in the comical mode, and his wisecracking moves are reminescent of the romantic comedies of old. Helen Hunt (Darcy McGuire)isn't that bad either despite her almost hard-nosed demeanor in presenting the professional woman of the twenty-first century.

The movie follows in the predictable plotline of here's the situation and who ends up winning in the end. The relationship between Nick and his daughter dangles with incohesion as well as his concern for Erin, the invisible office "runner", which may have been a way to present more of Nick's softer side. However, his hard-nosed side was quite weak in presentation.

Nevertheless, the film was a laugh a minute. It would be a riot if men and women could actually hear each other's inner voices. Ah, that's why we have the movies.

Rating:
Summary: This Woman Wants Her Money Back
Review: I adore romantic comedies and am capable of suspending disbelief with the best of them, but this movie inspired neither chuckle or teardrop, just the overwhelming desire to kick myself for renting it.

Mel Gibson is his usual "I'm too cute for my own good" self as he half-hamedly works his way through this inane story about an ad man (one of the usual careers for movie characters) who finds himself far more devilishly charming than others do. After a jolt to his under used brain he obtains the ability to read minds - but, for some mysterious yet convenient reason, only those of women. Instead of rubbing his hands together, laughing fiendishly, and start plotting to take over the world, he uses this new super human power to seduce the ladies, connive his way into a promotion, and manipulate his daughter. Of course, he learns some mighty important lessons in the process and changes into a better dad and a nice guy.

Helen Hunt is given nothing new to work with and might as well be doing an episode of her old sitcom without the laughs.

A perplexing amount of people seem to love this movie which must mean I have far superior taste <sticks nose in air> or else I'm just some twisted old hag who'd rather knit sweaters from my dog's hair then embrace this gift that Hollywood has so generously bestowed upon us. Either way, I still consider this a lame excuse for a romantic romp.