Rating: 
Summary: Shocking revelation
Review: A prime example of how good casting can redeem an insipid plot idea. Mel Gibson is a senior executive in an advertising agency. Not senior enough for his ambitions, however. He aims for a loftier position, but is displaced by a new arrival pirated from another agency. Helen Hunt enters with all the conflicting emotions of the new hire but seasoned professional. Hunt perfectly assumes the stereotyped role of today's woman manager. She's lovely, she's assertive, she's vulnerable, but keeps it hidden, and, of course, she's recently divorced. Her assumption of the Director's post reflects the agency's need to reach the women's market. Gibson is unable to achieve that because he's more interested in bedding women than selling to them. He's not aware of what women want.His awareness expands with a jolt - an electric jolt that provides him with the ability to receive women's thoughts [Do women really operate on a different mental wavelength? A dangerous proposition to consider these days.]. Confused with the inundation of information, often about himself, Gibson turns his new abilities to discredit Hunt. Corporate ambition knows no limits and he undercuts her role using this rather blunt instrument. His own emotions crowd his intent to gain the Directorship, however. This is inevitable in a romantic fantasy-comedy. The finale is also inevitable, but carried off with the panache Hunt and Gibson bring to this story. There's little novelty in this film, but the stunning performances overcome that limitation. Besides Gibson, who can assume nearly any role cloak and Hunt, whose abilities almost transcend criticism, the film is nearly stolen away by Ashley Johnson. As Gibson's teenage daughter, she parachutes into his already complicated life while her mother honeymoons. The father-daughter conflicts and stresses parade through the film, but Johnson brings a special, subtle sensitivity to the role. Alan Alda as the ad agency's president was an interesting choice. He conveys a sense of dignity that another actor might fail to impart. This film is worth a view, if for no other reason than seeing Helen Hunt and Mel Gibson in yet another guise. Whether it's worth repetitive watching is another question. Unless you're a die-hard Gibson or Hunt fan, once may be enough. Johnson may be an actress to watch and future roles may suggest coming back to this one as she develops. At this point, a single viewing was enough.
Rating: 
Summary: Very entertaining and funny !
Review: This is definitely a 'woman' movie but men could learn a thing or two from it ! Male chauvinism is alive and well here in Illinois - no myth here ! The story line is not complex, this is a relaxing, entertaining and funny movie. I liked it enough to see it twice. Good acting by Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt considering that comedy is not their "forte".
Rating: 
Summary: Not a bad idea, but...
Review: What Women Want (2000) dir. Nancy Meyers I'm glad to discover a woman directed it, for she ought to know what women want. A Mel Gibson vehicle. Also a Helen Hunt vehicle. Also a vehicle for the numerous women in the film. Also a vehicle for men whose obscure mental processes don't know what women want. An interesting premise: through an accident (a near electrocution), Gibson's mind acquires the ability to hear women's thoughts. At first this puzzles him, enervates him, and he is left clueless as to what to do. He is insulted to hear the vile things women think about him. He thinks this is a curse, not a gift. Soon, however, a therapist (Bette Middler) suggests that he take advantage of this unexpected talent--and become a mind reader. He steals an idea from his boss (Helen Hunt) about an advertising campaign--and he gets a big job while she is fired. They begin a romance, of course. Gibson also has trouble with his teenage daughter (Ashley Johnson), but through mind reading their relations smooth. He also has a girl friend, Lola (Marisa Tomei), reads her mind, knows she wants sex with him; he has sex with her, and of course also with Hunt (whose first name is Darcy), for she too desires him. Eventually, through another near electrocution, he becomes cured of this aberration--and normal again. Now he is happy, having secured Hunt's job again, having gotten rid of Lola, and reconciled himself with his daughter--who thinks him a caring parent now. No a bad premise, but a pretty ordinary story comes out of it. It would have been more interesting if Gibson and Hunt engaged in a battle of wits (or battles of the sexes) as Beatrice and Benedict do in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing. This actually starts when Marshall steals an idea from McGuire's head; it would have been interesting if she had understood his game and exposed him. By remaining ignorant, she plays the game at a disadvantage, and her status in the story is reduced. In other words, both Hunt and Gibson play a more or less dumb plot--and roles. The script, clever up to a point, falls back into the trodden paths--romantic plots--and loses whatever punch it had. It reduces two competent actors (not to mention some of the others in the ensemble cast) to repeating worn out trivialities instead of engaging them in a truly ingenious contest of mind and feeling. This role is especially painful for Gibson, who looks older (he is) and capable of going beyond the trivial roles that his profession imposes upon him. After Braveheart (so-so to me), the masculine monster of the Lethal Weapon series, and, above, all the two movies he made with Australian auteur Peter Weir--Galipolli and The Year of Living Dangerously--this movie is a fall-off in status. Helen Hunt, too, is reduced to unintelligence, though she manages a slithering sexiness and a presence that only a mature actress can project. Overall, though, this is not as much a bad movie as a lost opportunity. Actors, like everyone else, age, and their glory passes.
Rating: 
Summary: MISSED OPPORTUNITY
Review: First off let me say that I've always liked Mel Gibson ever since I saw Gallipolli. I loved The Year Of Living Dangerously, Maverick, Ransom, the Lethal Weapon series, Conspiracy Theory, even some of his less successful movies such as Mrs Soffel, The Bounty, Hamlet and The River. I think he is a fine, often underused and under-rated actor. I also really like Helen Hunt. However, this is the point where I say BUT (and this is the point where most people reading this review will move to the bottom of my review and click on no) I think this is up there with Air America as one of the worst movies Mel Gibson has ever made. I just thought it was dull, uninspired, unimaginative and worse still, clichéd. If you want a movie that perpetuates the myth that all men are male chauvinist pigs (I thought that idea went out with the 80's)then this is the one for you. Mel Gibson who regularly tops polls as the man all women want, stars here as an advertising executive (Nick) in this unimaginative, high concept low inteliigence movie about a man who can hear what women are thinking and discovers they don't all love him as much as he believed. Essentially this is a romantic comedy with the plot centring around Nick's attempts to undermine his new boss (Helen Hunt) when she gets the job and the promotion he thought were his. Using his ability to read her thoughts, he steals her ideas and just as his plan is beginning to work, would you believe it he falls in love with her and develops a conscience? Not exactly the most inspired, original or imaginative plot twist me thinks. To my mind this was a movie with a good premise and it could have been a good movie had they avoided the schmaltz and the stereotypes. They didn't. It's not all bad though, Mel Gibson is his usual charming self and Helen Hunt makes a sympathetic, intelligent and attractive love interest, even if the lighting throughout this movie does her no favours. The movie does have some good moments but if you've seen the promotional ad's you've pretty much seen all the best bits. I hope this review doesn't come over as a male taking offence to a bit of male bashing. I just think this was a missed opportunity.
Rating:
Summary: Good movie
Review: I liked this movie, it kept me entertained but my hubby hated it. Not really a "man" movie but there were parts I could relate to. It was cute, entertaining and I would see it again. It's worth my time.
Rating:
Summary: Homage to 'ol blue eyes via Mel Gibson
Review: This is a fun and cute movie that made me laugh at his male angsts. If only my husband could read my mind right now he'd stop playing video games and.... anyways, my favorite part is where Mel dances around to Frank with the coat rack. Why doesn't Mel, beautiful blue eyes, do more comedies????
Rating:
Summary: Great Romantic Comedy
Review: I went with some expectations and the movie managed to reach those heights.
Rating:
Summary: Some outright hilarious scenes!
Review: I liked this movie and because I watched it with my husband, it was even more enjoyable. Because he IS a chauvinist and some points were made that he needed to hear. I just love when entertainment can be educational. :) Great acting in this Hollywood film. The Divine Bette Midler makes an appearance and as usual makes an impression every moment she is on the screen. Why wasn't there more of her?!?
Rating:
Summary: Boring
Review: This was boring after about twenty minutes. After the boredom came self-reproach, for having thought that this idea could be properly exploited by fairly talentless writers like these.
It's about the level of an average "Friends" episode, which I'll admit would make it funny enough for some.
Rating:
Summary: Great flick...
Review: Hey, wow! What a great surprise this movie was. I got this movie for my wife, expecting it to be a total and complete romance with little to nothing in it for me. I was laughing my head off for the first hour. It wasn't until the last twenty plus minutes that it got overly emotional and even then it wasn't too bad. Only thing is, I am not sure if my wife likes it as much as I do. I got an A+ for the effort though. I definitely recommend this movie for some laughs. The emotional ending didn't produce any tears though. As for the type of movie, it reminds me of As Good as it Gets, but with no Oscar potential.
| 
