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Review by Susan Granger
3½ stars out of 4
In this appealing romantic comedy, Mel Gibson stars as the
ultimate man's man, an arrogant chauvinist ad executive who hasn't a
clue what women are about. Just ask his ex-wife (Lauren Holly) and 15
year-old daughter (Ashley Johnson). So when his boss (Alan Alda)
chooses a woman (Helen Hunt) as the agency's new Creative Director, a
job he thought he had in his hip pocket, he's chagrined, particularly
when she gives everyone a pink box full of feminine products,
assigning them to come up with ideas. That night, after a hilarious
scene in which he's waxing his legs, wriggling into pantyhose, and
trying on a Wonderbra, he's almost electrocuted - but the shock opens
up a new world. Suddenly, inexplicably, he can hear what women are
thinking - and often what they're musing is what a jerk he
is. Thoroughly rattled, he consults a therapist (Bette Midler), who
says when Freud died, he still wondered "What do women want?" "If you
know the answer, you can rule!" she tells him. Soon he does, coming up
with clever ideas, stolen from Helen Hunt's mind, astounding everyone
about how sensitive and perceptive he's become. And so it goes. Mel
Gibson is sensational: captivating when he's dancing to Sinatra's
music and charming when he's poking fun at his own manly
image. Director/producer Nancy Meyers with writers Josh Goldsmith,
Cathy Yuspa and Diane Drake have revived the battle-of-the-sexes
genre, perfected by Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn - only Gibson's
more like Cary Grant. The ensemble acting is terrific and the
father/daughter relationship scores. Only the ending drags a bit. On
the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, "What Women Want" is a smart,
sassy, sexy 9. Don't miss this funny, funny mind game - it scores!
Copyright © 2000 Susan Granger
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