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Festivale online magazine A Reel Life film section What Women Want movie review |
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What Women WantNick Marshall (Mel Gibson) is a man with the lot. He's a well-paid advertising executive with two beautiful, adoring secretaries. His ex-wife is getting remarried, and if that means he has to put his teenage daughter up for a few days, well how hard can that be? He's a man's man who thinks, frankly, that he's what women want. And he's about to get a big promotion. Darcy McGuire (Helen Hunt) is the woman who is brought in by the boss (Alan Alda) and given the big job. Nick is furious and determined to undermine and replace her as soon as possible.
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Movie Poster, What Women WantHe has the power to hear everything women are thinking. Finally... a man is listening. |
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In taking Darcy's challenge to use popular women's products, Nick electrocutes himself and wakes up able to read women's minds. This is not science fiction, this is a literary device that follows the rules in that the What Women Want universe has one bizarre twist and remains consistent to that truth throughout. After a few moments of shock and confusion, Nick decides he can work with this. He can read any female's mind. He can hear his doorperson calling him sweetcheeks. He can hear the women jogging past worrying about their lives, and he can finally get into the life and pants of the cute barista (Marisa Tomei). He can also anticipate Darcy's every good idea, present it first and take credit. He's on a roll. Except that he's a dad with a teenage daughter with a boyfriend and with knowing what to buy her he also knows what she thinks about sex. Despite his macho self-interest, he is learning about women as people with real interests and real problems, and that they can be good company if a man just tries to accept the validity of their thoughts, hopes and dreams. And somewhere along the way he starts making an effort to help the awkward girl in the office, and he starts to appreciate Darcy. Just when his plan is going well he starts to feel the tweaks of a conscience. What Women Want has a clever insight into the chasm between the sexes, and it gives us a clear plot line. Will Nick remain selfish and determined to win at all costs, or will he, can he, have a change of heart? Will anyone discover that Nick can read women's minds? Can he, as his therapist (Bette Midler) suggests, take this gift and use it well? Thoughtful and entertaining -- a heady mix. Recommended.
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by Ali Kayn Due for Australian release December 26, 2000 For credits and official site details, see below See also: Mel Gibson (Payback, Conspiracy Theory, Lethal Weapon 4); Helen Hunt (Then She Found Me, Pay it Forward, As Good As it Gets, Peggy Sue Got Married); Nancy Meyers (Something's Gotta Give, It's Complicated, The Holiday, Baby Boom, Jumpin' Jack Flash, Irreconcilable Differences, Private Benjamin) |
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