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The First Wives Club Stars: Goldie Haw, Diane Keaton, Bette Midler Director: Hugh Wilson BBFC Certificate: 15 Opened: October 1996 |
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'Girl Power' is nothing relatively new to the film industry, and is a topic that has been
covered successfully in many genres from the road movie (the stunningly brilliant
Thelma and Louise) to the all-out actioner (The Long Kiss Goodnight).
The latter was released at the same time (in the UK, at least) as this new offering
from Police Academy director, Hugh Wilson. Whilst that was superb and hilarious, it
flopped in the US. However, this dull and predictable comedy is well below average,
and did huge business in the Land of the Free.
Based on the best-seller penned by Olivia Goldsmith, this is the story of three college friends, the extravagant Brenda (Bette Midler), failing actress Elise (Goldie Hawn) and housewife Annie (Diane Keaton, who succeeds in wasting the gags the script provides). The trio meet by accident at the funeral of an old friend who committed suicide when her husband left her for a beautiful young model. Having all suffered similar rejection from their partners, the girls decide to get even by ruining the lives of those that left them. And so, the titular 'First Wives Club' is formed. The novel has been toned down severely for this adaptation. Annie's Down's syndrome daughter is not mentioned, gone is Elise's drunken fling with a toy-boy, and Brenda's lesbian affair is glossed over in true Hollywood style. What we are left with is a pale representation of the original. The feminism is still there, but the whole affair is played entirely for laughs. The loss of the sub-plots did not necessarily have to ruin the film, but without them, the 'humour' cannot fill the void. Whilst it starts off promisingly enough with a stream of good one-liners, the pace drops severely in the middle. To make it worse, the finalé (a painful dance sequence) pushes the movie right off the edge, making the trio look stupid, not heroic. It was never intended to be a 'guy-movie', but I find it hard to believe that anyone could be so swept up in the 'right-on' feminism that they would not notice the lack of laughs in here. Whilst there are some notable moments (a cameo from Donald Trump's real-life ex who tells the girls, "Don't get mad, get everything!"), the film has lost many of the qualities of the book. Whilst the comedy slant was certainly a good move in order to boost box-office, you will end up feeling as short-changed as one of the divorced wives. The best way for you to get even? Rent something else. Reviewed by: Tom Whitaker
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