The Mirror Has Two Faces

Rating:
Summary: Pierce as the gorgeous Alex
Review: I don't have this one in my library, simply because there is not enough of Pierce.

I loved his character of Alex in this film, but there could have been more of his character.

I wish there would have been more of a relationship develop between Alex and Rose.

I felt sorry for Alex in the end, because Clair left him and then Rose left him.

Rose always had a place for Alex in her heart. Even though Alex didn't love her til her big make-over, I got the impression that Alex did care about her. He was the one I felt sorry for in the movie, because Rose gets her man, and he is left all alone.

Rating:
Summary: Reflection of a Dream
Review: How seldom is it that we find a movie that delves into issues such as love verses insecurity and self image. The Mirror Has Two Faces is such a film. Barbra Streisand convincingly plays the romance professor who is unsure about her physical appearence and unaware of her beautiful personality. Jeff Bridges is a handsome math professor at the same university who has been screwed over several times by his lovers. Drawn together by fate, these two start out with a platonic relationship, only to realize that they are attracted to each other. Streisand finds her inner strength and beauty after her advances were denied and turns herself into what the media would define as a beautiful woman. What she must realize, and what Bridges's character must realize, is that beauty is from within.

Best line: What's the difference what I look like? You never looked at me anyhow.

Wow. God slam.

Rating:
Summary: THIS MOVIE IS SOMETHING WONDERFUL!!!!
Review: I probably repeat some of the more favourable reviews preceding my own - but I do so unintentionally. The problem with many people is that they let their opinions (negative or positive) cloud their perception. I have the so called birth defect of idolizing Barbra Streisand (and I'm proud of it!) and I love this movie! For those of you who sterotype me as middle-aged or gay - I'm not. I am 15 years old and straight. So there! The problem with Streisand haters is this: they can't stand the idea a woman just goes and does what ever she wants and does it well! BRAVO BABS - BRAVO!!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: The Sum of Many Parts
Review: Lush and poignant scenes. Streisand is at her comedic and dramatic best. Lauren Bacall is equally compelling in every scene. Top notch writing of LaGravenese is worthy of the star power throughout this film. The Academy Award nominated score by Marvin Hamlisch is both memorable and story appropriate. If you think this is just another ego trip a la Streisand, you have missed the point.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent and Underestimated!
Review: This movie really got dogged upon release and for no real reason. It is a charmingly old-fashioned film that is good fun for everyone. Barbra Streisand proves again that she is a talented director and her performance is charming.

Yes, the story is predictable, but Jeff Bridges takes his shirt off, so watch for that if nothing else. However, you may be surprised by how good it really is.

Rating:
Summary: Movie that demonstrates beauty is only skin deep!
Review: I loved this movie! It honestly showed that a person doesn't have to be beautiful on the outside to be a knock-out person inside. The female character won over the men in her life with her intelligence and inner beauty rather than drop dead good looks like her sister. She changes her appearance and things happen, but not necessarily for the best.

Rating:
Summary: zero stars
Review: Sometimes you have to check on the reviews on a film you know is AWFUL, to see how far you can trust the readership. This is the most revolting and nauseating film I have seen recently. The review above called it correctly. I'll keep reading amazon's readers' reviews.

Rating:
Summary: A truly offensive film
Review: Barbra Streisand plays a successful, "intelligent" college professor who is pathetic and frustrated because she just can't find a man to love her. She sheds her frumpy clothes, tints her hair and every problem she has ever had neatly resolves itself... this movie is disgusting, and the way Barbra Streisand lets the camera linger on her face is nauseating - you never quite believe her when she complains about being unattractive.

Rating:
Summary: College professors engaged in a complicated relationship.
Review: A limp production not large enough for Streisand's ego. This vehicle is so self-absorbing, you'd better have the barf bag ready as soon as you hit play on your VCR. The plot is so unrealistic, only the "sensitive" Barbra could have endeavored to make this film.

Alright, already Barbra! You're the greatest and only good-natured person on the earth!

Rating:
Summary: UNFUNNY GIRL
Review: I have been a fan of Barbra Streisand's for as long as I can remember, from the first time she appeared on the Ed Sullivan show singing CRY ME A RIVER through all of her Columbia albums and many of her films. Barbra the director and songwriter, Barbra the producer, and Barbra the star. If any movie has been a vanity fair for Babs, THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES is it. As in the classic FUNNY GIRL, Barbra plays a "plain" woman who can't believe any handsome man (Omar Sharif and now Jeff Bridges) could possibly find her attractive. In all actuality, this is the kind of movie Barbra should have made when she was in her thirties; it seems kind of childish for a mature woman in her early fifties to be so concerned about whether or not she is beautiful. Her makeover at the end is also all about Barbra's personal journey into the realms of looking like a movie star. Including her infamous seventeen inch fingernails. The movie overstays its welcome, too; it's a little too long to sustain a deep conviction to the film. Barbra as always is a wonderful actress, but this role she's done too many times, and frankly I didn't truly believe in her as much as I did say in FUNNY GIRL or THE WAY WE WERE. Jeff Bridges is a marvelous actor, but he overdoes it in this role, trying hard to match his superstar co-star but forgetting a more controlled performance would have been a better match. Lauren Bacall who lost her supporting actress Oscar to Juliette Binoche (ENGLISH PATIENT) brings the movie her star presence, but it's a performance that could have been done by any actress and would have been just as effective. Pierce Brosnan in a rather small role effuses his international charm in a poorly conceived role. George Segal and Brenda Vaccarro are also wasted in brief appearances, although Segal who once starred with Babs in THE OWL AND THE PUSSYCAT makes a game effort. Perhaps the best performance in the film belongs to Mimi Rogers, the ex Mrs. Tom Cruise, whose portrayal of Babs' hedonistic and unfulfilled sister gives the movie a certain dark edge. Marvin Hamlisch's 1950ish sounding score is also out of place; even though the movie tries to be like one of those PILLOW TALK type of films, it's 1990s atmosphere and look make the score anachronistic. It was nice hearing such great songs as TRY A LITTLE TENDERNESS and YOU DON'T KNOW ME though.
It's ironic that this was Barbra's last film until the recent MEET THE FOCKERS, in which she plays a mother, and not someone who's trying to convince everyone how lovely she is. Hopefully if Barbra makes more movies (and she should--she is a superstar), she'll play on her comic and dramatic abilities and accept the fact that her fans think she's beautiful and we don't want to have to keep telling her so!!!!