Mel
Gibson- WHAT WOMEN WANT ($30) it seems so appropriate, doesn't
it? Never has the star's name above the title gone so well with the actual
title- after all, women have been swooning over the star of WHAT WOMEN
WANT for roughly two decades. I guess it’s Gibson's boyish charm and
sense of humor that has been packing the ladies into the cinemas all these
years- yeah right.
In
WHAT WOMEN WANT Gibson portrays advertising man Nick Marshall,
who can sell any product that he can package with a beautiful woman in
a bikini. Nick's success in selling products is only equaled by his success
in selling himself to the ladies. However, one morning Nick wakes up to
discover that he is living in a woman's world. Nick thought for sure that
he was on the fast track to becoming the new creative director of his
advertising agency, but loses the position to Darcy McGuire (Helen Hunt)
because of her ability to sell products to the demographic that the firm
has never been able to touch- namely American women.
Despite
all his success with bedding women, Nick is forced into the realization
that he knows absolutely nothing about the inner workings of the female
psyche and hasn't had a single successful relationship with a woman, as
his teenage daughter Alexandra (Ashley Johnson) and ex-wife Gigi (Lauren
Holly) can surely attest. However, while trying to get in touch with his
feminine side- or at least the women's products he is hoping to sell,
Nick has a highly charged accident, from which he awakens to discover
that he has the power to read women's minds. At first, Nick thinks he
is going insane, but when he comes to realize that he is the only man
who really knows what women want, he decides to use his newfound gift
to his advantage in both his professional and personal lives.
WHAT
WOMEN WANT is a truly funny movie that examines the differences between
the sexes and how they see the world. If this romantic comedy has a failing,
it's the fact that it’s a bit too long, with the pacing starting to drag
towards the end. Mel Gibson is ideally cast as the ultimate "man's
man" who suddenly begins to see the world and himself from a different
perspective. Mel's Frank Sinatra/Fred Astaire inspired moment is another
of this film’s simple joys that is reminiscent of the simpler days of
romantic comedies. Helen Hunt has great chemistry working with Gibson,
plus she is an absolute natural playing this type of material- I guess
all those years on MAD ABOUT YOU are paying off. The delightful
supporting cast of WHAT WOMEN WANT also features Marisa Tomei,
Alan Alda, Mark Feuerstein, Delta Burke, Valerie Perrine, Judy Greer,
Sarah Paulson, Ana Gasteyer, Lisa Edelstein, Loretta Devine, Diana-Maria
Riva, Eric Balfour and an uncredited, but always funny Bette Midler.
Paramount
Home Entertainment has made WHAT WOMEN WANT available on DVD in
a 1.78:1 wide screen presentation that features the anamorphic enhancement
for 16:9 displays. The transfer looks absolutely wonderful thanks to Dean
Cundey's glossy cinematography and modern film stocks. Almost every shot
is crisp and bristling with detail- even the softer shots are highly appealing.
Colors are rich looking without appearing over-saturated and the flesh
tones are right on the money. Not even the most intense hues betray any
signs of noise or smearing. Blacks are incredibly velvety and the level
of shadow detail is excellent because of the meticulous care that Cundey
has applied to the lighting of the film's nighttime sequences. Digital
compression artifacts are completely hidden by first rate dual layer authoring.
Surprise,
surprise! WHAT WOMEN WANT features a much better than average comedy
mix. The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is far more involving than I thought
it would be; providing more sound effects and activity in the surround
channels than one usually finds in comedy films. For sure, this is no
action movie, but this is the caliber of sound mixing what other comedies
should be striving for. The forward soundstage has a pronounced presence,
with very good channel separation and distinct sound effect placement.
Activity in the rear channels isn't constant, but most of the time the
surrounds hold their own by providing ambient sound and musical fill.
When the rear channels do come to life, they do so in a forceful way that
pulls the viewer into the moment. Dialogue sounds completely natural and
is always fully intelligible. The bass channel sits on the sideline most
of the time, but it effectively kicks in when required. Music is very
nicely integrated into this sound mix and maintains a full, rich quality
for both Alan Silvestri's score and the film's excellent selection of
popular music. English and French Dolby Surround soundtracks are also
encoded onto the DVD, as are English subtitles.
Full
motion video, animation and sound enhance the DVD's charming interactive
menus. Through the menus, one has access to the standard scene selection
and set up features, as well as a few supplements. Director Nancy Meyers
and production designer John Hutman provide a running commentary that
should prove interesting enough for fans, but probably won't hold the
attention of casual listeners. WHAT WOMEN WANT also includes two
featurettes The Making of What Women Want and What
Women Want: A Look Inside. Both featurettes run over ten minutes,
but are typical fluffy PR fare, offering interviews with the principles
and a glimpse behind-the-scenes. Two theatrical trailers close out the
DVD's supplements.
WHAT
WOMEN WANT is a very funny and enjoyable romantic comedy that places
its own spin on the fact that men really don't understand women. Paramount's
DVD looks and sounds great, so if you’re interested in knowing WHAT
WOMEN WANT, you had better pick up a copy of the disc.
Mel
Gibson- WHAT WOMEN WANT ($30) it seems so appropriate, doesn't
it? Never has the star's name above the title gone so well with the actual
title- after all, women have been swooning over the star of WHAT WOMEN
WANT for roughly two decades. I guess it’s Gibson's boyish charm and
sense of humor that has been packing the ladies into the cinemas all these
years- yeah right.
In
WHAT WOMEN WANT Gibson portrays advertising man Nick Marshall,
who can sell any product that he can package with a beautiful woman in
a bikini. Nick's success in selling products is only equaled by his success
in selling himself to the ladies. However, one morning Nick wakes up to
discover that he is living in a woman's world. Nick thought for sure that
he was on the fast track to becoming the new creative director of his
advertising agency, but loses the position to Darcy McGuire (Helen Hunt)
because of her ability to sell products to the demographic that the firm
has never been able to touch- namely American women.
Despite
all his success with bedding women, Nick is forced into the realization
that he knows absolutely nothing about the inner workings of the female
psyche and hasn't had a single successful relationship with a woman, as
his teenage daughter Alexandra (Ashley Johnson) and ex-wife Gigi (Lauren
Holly) can surely attest. However, while trying to get in touch with his
feminine side- or at least the women's products he is hoping to sell,
Nick has a highly charged accident, from which he awakens to discover
that he has the power to read women's minds. At first, Nick thinks he
is going insane, but when he comes to realize that he is the only man
who really knows what women want, he decides to use his newfound gift
to his advantage in both his professional and personal lives.
WHAT
WOMEN WANT is a truly funny movie that examines the differences between
the sexes and how they see the world. If this romantic comedy has a failing,
it's the fact that it’s a bit too long, with the pacing starting to drag
towards the end. Mel Gibson is ideally cast as the ultimate "man's
man" who suddenly begins to see the world and himself from a different
perspective. Mel's Frank Sinatra/Fred Astaire inspired moment is another
of this film’s simple joys that is reminiscent of the simpler days of
romantic comedies. Helen Hunt has great chemistry working with Gibson,
plus she is an absolute natural playing this type of material- I guess
all those years on MAD ABOUT YOU are paying off. The delightful
supporting cast of WHAT WOMEN WANT also features Marisa Tomei,
Alan Alda, Mark Feuerstein, Delta Burke, Valerie Perrine, Judy Greer,
Sarah Paulson, Ana Gasteyer, Lisa Edelstein, Loretta Devine, Diana-Maria
Riva, Eric Balfour and an uncredited, but always funny Bette Midler.
Paramount
Home Entertainment has made WHAT WOMEN WANT available on DVD in
a 1.78:1 wide screen presentation that features the anamorphic enhancement
for 16:9 displays. The transfer looks absolutely wonderful thanks to Dean
Cundey's glossy cinematography and modern film stocks. Almost every shot
is crisp and bristling with detail- even the softer shots are highly appealing.
Colors are rich looking without appearing over-saturated and the flesh
tones are right on the money. Not even the most intense hues betray any
signs of noise or smearing. Blacks are incredibly velvety and the level
of shadow detail is excellent because of the meticulous care that Cundey
has applied to the lighting of the film's nighttime sequences. Digital
compression artifacts are completely hidden by first rate dual layer authoring.
Surprise,
surprise! WHAT WOMEN WANT features a much better than average comedy
mix. The Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack is far more involving than I thought
it would be; providing more sound effects and activity in the surround
channels than one usually finds in comedy films. For sure, this is no
action movie, but this is the caliber of sound mixing what other comedies
should be striving for. The forward soundstage has a pronounced presence,
with very good channel separation and distinct sound effect placement.
Activity in the rear channels isn't constant, but most of the time the
surrounds hold their own by providing ambient sound and musical fill.
When the rear channels do come to life, they do so in a forceful way that
pulls the viewer into the moment. Dialogue sounds completely natural and
is always fully intelligible. The bass channel sits on the sideline most
of the time, but it effectively kicks in when required. Music is very
nicely integrated into this sound mix and maintains a full, rich quality
for both Alan Silvestri's score and the film's excellent selection of
popular music. English and French Dolby Surround soundtracks are also
encoded onto the DVD, as are English subtitles.
Full
motion video, animation and sound enhance the DVD's charming interactive
menus. Through the menus, one has access to the standard scene selection
and set up features, as well as a few supplements. Director Nancy Meyers
and production designer John Hutman provide a running commentary that
should prove interesting enough for fans, but probably won't hold the
attention of casual listeners. WHAT WOMEN WANT also includes two
featurettes The Making of What Women Want and What
Women Want: A Look Inside. Both featurettes run over ten minutes,
but are typical fluffy PR fare, offering interviews with the principles
and a glimpse behind-the-scenes. Two theatrical trailers close out the
DVD's supplements.
WHAT
WOMEN WANT is a very funny and enjoyable romantic comedy that places
its own spin on the fact that men really don't understand women. Paramount's
DVD looks and sounds great, so if you’re interested in knowing WHAT
WOMEN WANT, you had better pick up a copy of the disc.
