What Women Want

This is a very formulatic romantic comedy, but it shines largely in part to the performance of Mel Gibson. It takes someone very confident in his masculinity to put on a bra, paint his nails, and put on pantyhose all in the name of comedy. When he is suddenly struck with the gift to hear what women think, it is almost karmic destiny in retribution for his playboy ways of the past. When the shoe is on the other foot, and he sees first hand what is dealt to the fairer sex, it changes him profoundly.

It's not a new premise. It's actually an old one. What do other people think about you? More importantly, what do members of the opposite sex think about you? And if you knew, what could you do with that information?

These are the questions posed to Nick (Mel Gibson). A self professed "ladies man" he waltzes through life from one sexual conquest to another, all the while confident that he is a handsome, well liked, object of affection to women everywhere. But soon Nick's world comes crashing down. He is passed over for a promotion, and his job is given to woman (Helen Hunt). Through a series of comical event Nick is blessed (or cursed... you decide) with the ability to hear the thoughts of the females (not specifically human) around him. He soon learns that he in not the end all, be all object of desire to the female community that he thought he was. After he re-groups, what Nick decides to do with his new found powers makes for some very funny moments. What does he do you ask? Well, I'm not going to be the one to spoil it for you.

Overall, "What Women Want" is a very good movie. It has all the makings of a fine romantic comedy; A handsome man, a beautiful woman, and a great deal of conflict. The only real flaw to the film is towards the end when it starts to become a little too heavy and takes itself just a little too seriously. Those are the times when the movie seems to drag and has trouble getting started again.

Gibson and Hunt are actually quite good together, and really have some good on screen chemistry. In addition, the use of Alan Alda, Bette Midler, Delta Burke, and Marisa Tomei in supporting roles is terrific. The soundtrack is also top notch with a great collection of classic standards by the Chairman of the Board, mixed with a few modern Top 40 tunes. Gibson really surprises with a small homage to Fred Astaire, and shows that he actually quite light on his feet.

If you haven't seen this yet, then you really should, but I would suggest renting before buying... just in case.

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This movie is surprisingly charming, given the fact that critics pilloried it when it first came out. All I can say is that Mel Gibson still has what it takes to be a leading man in a romantic comedy.

The movie certainly opens promisingly enough with a hilarious sneak preview into the childhood of the main character, Nick, a top advertising agency executive that Mel Gibson plays with great aplomb. Nick is a divorced, male chauvinist who thinks that he is God's gift to women. Unfortunately, as so many men of this type are, he is dead wrong. He is just a man's man who thinks that he is a ladies' man.

He begins to get his comeuppance when the coveted job of Creative Director, to which he is expecting to be promoted, is offered to someone outside the agency, another advertising whiz named Darcie, affectingly played by Helen Hunt. She gets the job, rather than he, so that the agency might be better able to tap into the women's market. She is now his new boss, and Nick is not happy.

After their first meeting, the disgruntled Nick goes home and drinks himself into a stupor. Look for the wonderful dance routine done in best Fred Astaire style. It is a charming salute to an all time great. While in his inebriated state, however, Nick has a shocking accident (pun intended) that enables him to be able to read women's minds.

This ability causes him some distress, as he is amazed to find out what women really think of him, and it is not always flattering. It also enables him to please women as never before, as he is able to read their innermost thoughts and anticipate their needs. It even helps him repair his relationship with his fifteen year old daughter who is undergoing teenage angst.

He uses this ability, however, to trump Darcie, unbeknownst to her, as he has every intention of getting the job he coveted. What he does not anticipate is falling in love with her. This certainly puts a kink into his plans. The question is whether love will triumph. Watch the movie and find out.

The contrivance of being able to read women's minds creates some very funny scenes and interesting situations. It also allows Nick's character to grow as a person and become more three dimensional. There is a strong supporting cast that includes Delta Burke, Marisa Tomei, and an unbilled cameo by by Bette Midler. This is an engaging film that, oddly enough, is sure to delight both men and women, and Mel Gibson, with his easy going charm, is definitely what women want.

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A star-studded cast is gathered in this tale of an advertising man who manages to gain the power to hear what women are thinking. While at first he almost goes crazy, he soon learns, with the help of an odd therapist, to take advantage of the situation and improve his relationships with the various women he is in contact with. Three women are his main targets. Marisa Tomei is a simple sexual conquest. Helen Hunt is the woman who became his boss. And a quiet office worker who may need more help than anyone.

Mel Gibson does an excellent job as the man with the power. Helen Hunt does a passable job as a love interest but the script just does not show her as qualified for her new job. She is shown as being a good advertiser but not as a Creative Director. This is the fault of the script and not the actress. I was a little put off by the Bette Midler character who basically convinces Mel to take advantage of women. This is probably not really what was intended but it is what the script results in. But still, the acting is pretty good throughout with Gibson really shining during his solo scenes.

A pretty good movie for couples although the final resolution may be a little weak for couples looking for a really good romance story. Light humor, heavy humor, and some touching moments combine to keep the movie fresh and moving. Check it out.

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What can I say? Ladies will most likely love this movie, and men will most likely not. Funny, romantic, but ultimately sexist and insulting, "What Women Want" is not the movie you should suggest on your first date. Cheer it on with your girlfriends, but spare your boyfriend or husband this "relationship test" and watch "When Harry Met Sally" instead.

Mel Gibson plays a charming yet chauvanistic man who suddenly finds he has the ability to read women's minds. At first overwhelmed, Mel uses his gift for his own personal gain, yet gradually he learns to understand and love women, and in the end he is stripped of his undesirable male qualities and falls for the film's "every-woman", Helen Hunt. Gibson's subtle performance provides the only personality in this entire film, keeping it from becoming a dry, sexist political statement. This includes a beautiful dance number to Sinatra which recalls Estare and Crosby (this scene was entirely Gibson's idea). The other performances, including Helen Hunt's, all fall along the lines of "the universal woman" vs. "the universal man." Basically, all the women Gibson interacts with are the same woman, just at different stages in her life. All the men are deceitful, uncaring, or clueless, save for gorgious hunk Gibson who "changes".

Fans of this movie might claim that Gibson's highly chauvanistic character lends some balance to the male-bashing, but they fail to realize that healthy men and women are offended by both. Consider: not only does this film's "perfect man" look like Mel Gibson, but he can read minds as well. Not even the real Mel Gibson can meet those standards. The "romantic" ending of this film has Gibson kissing the heroine right after she fires him. Our hero. I find it funny that the trailers for this movie showed some derrogatory scenes against Arab women which were cut from the film (pre-Sep 11) for obvious reasons. It highlights the basic nature of this film.

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