Waiting to Exhale

Rating:
Summary: An over all good movie
Review: "Waiting to Exhale" was an over all good movie. All the actors and actresses played their rolls well--including Whitney Houston. The plot centers around real life and the struggles that woman face. The movie truly shows how woman pull together to help one another in their times of need. This is a movie that everybody should see.

Rating:
Summary: Four Strong Women!
Review: All of the actresses in this movie are wonderful. Whitney Houston says that this movie is not about male bashing, it is about sister hood and experiences women go through. She is right. The women are fabulous and if you need a wonderful chick flick, get this!

Rating:
Summary: The movie did the book injustice
Review: Although the movie was great to watch with your girlfriends, it did do some damage to the book. What could have been added to the movie were the organizations that the women belonged to so it wouldn't seem as if the women were overly emotional over their disastruous relationships.

Rating:
Summary: An Outstanding Drama
Review: An intresting tale of 4 black women pulling together in each others time of need. Its great to see postitve thoughts onto screen from an equally outstanding book. I think we need more "you go girl" films, which always brings a smile to my face.

Rating:
Summary: women at their finest beating the odds against a male sociey
Review: angela basset stole the screen with the real life drama story. all the ladies in this picture up hold a level of class and loviness far beyond the rest. thumbs up to them all

Rating:
Summary: 2 Stars for two great actresses who deserve better.
Review: Angela Bassett and Loretta Divine are two of this countries best actresses. However, this film had one MAJOR PROBLEM and her name is Whitney Houston. Those studio heads with below average intelligence thought that because Bodyguard made millions that she was a movie star. When in actuallity all she is is a soundtrack star. Her studio recordings have been dismal and she is fading once again. Her pain inducing "acting" is no longer required for public consumption. But Angela was beautiful, wasn't she?

Rating:
Summary: Waiting to Exhale Strikes A Blow to 90's relationships
Review: Contrary to popular belief, Waiting to Exhale is not an unabashed anti-male bashfest...It is, instead, an indictment of the choices and consequences that African-American women make regarding their careers and romantic lives...Although the stories involved make for great fiction, Terry McMillan's characters highlight the ignorance and stupidity that threaten to destroy the fabric of black love in the 1990's...Forest Whitaker's direction, and top-notch performances by Angela Bassett, Gregory Hines, and Wesley Snipes, in an unbilled cameo, make this movie soar. END

Rating:
Summary: Inhale. Exhale. Repeat.
Review: Depending on who you are, Terry McMillan's 1992 novel "Waiting to Exhale" is either a blessing or a dreaded curse. McMillan's third novel about four African American women struggling to attain stability, identity, and normalcy in Phoenix was praised in some circles for giving contemporary Black women a much-needed voice. But in other circles, mostly male, "Waiting to Exhale" was ripped to shreds as a spiteful and ungrounded damnation of Black men as philanderers, deadbeats, and no-good-dooers. It also made McMillan the biggest literary target of criticsm since Alice Walker unleashed her novel "the Color Purple." But whatever your take on the book is, the film adaptation won't likely change your stance, as it stays overall faithful to the book. Director Forest Whitaker does a respectable job bringing to life these characters: Savannah (Whitney Houston) is the buppie still in search for Mr. Right; Bernadine (Angela Bassett) just got dumped by her husband of 11 years for a white woman; Robin (Lela Rochon) is the ditzy bimbo still trying to shake off her no-good ex, and Gloria (Loretta Devine) is the full-figured owner of a successful hair salon. The best performances, hands down, are Bassett and Devine, who make the best impressions, and they help keep the film moving at a good pace. The script, co-written by McMillan, is crisp with enough funny one-liners and a story compelling enough to keep the viewer interested. But there are flaws. Whitney Houston struggles in her role as Savannah; her performance is wooden and forced, and when paired against a seasoned pro like Bassett, she flat out crumbles. A more relaxed approach to the material would have helped. Also, memo to Black filmmakers: drop the swishy gay hairdresser stereotype! It's tired, done a million times before, and, frankly, is grossly out of touch with reality. That aside, it's not often that a movie successfully adapts a novel as well as this one, and "Waiting to Exhale," warts and all, merits a B in my school of cinema.

Rating:
Summary: A little melodramatic but I still loved it
Review: Every woman has a story of love lost and gained. This movie does well to illustrate the loves and lives of four beautiful black women. The most touching story was Angela Bassett's because we've all been there and love can HURT. After seeing the movie for the 50th time, this movie still touches me and it's still a joy to watch every now and then. This is a girl bonding flick and sometimes it's important to realize that sisters need to stick together through ALL times. That's what this movie is all about. Though the movie is not 100% faithful to the book,it still does a great job of pulling out the aspects that made the book popular in the first place. After all these years, the movie still manages to touch me.

Rating:
Summary: Whitney needs acting lessons, overall this one hits home
Review: I can identify with many of the issues in this movie because for most African American women, these things are a reality. I thought the acting on Angela Bassett's and all the supporting actresses'/actors' parts were great, however Whitney does need help. I love her (singing) voice but she should consider taking some acting lessons. I've seen this movie at least 10 times and every time, it does a work for my emotions. I know it appears to bash men, but this is REAL. Most men that I've met are the same way. I also spent 11 years in a marriage that I thought was fine and what do you know, he turns out to be a REAL jerk. Overall, I really liked the movie, highly recommend it and think it is a great example of a friendship shared between four strong, smart, African American women.