The Women (2008)

I watched the new version of The Women this week while I was sick with the flu. I felt rather negative about the film, which may have been caused by my sickness, so please forgive me. I watched the original 1939 version last year while on maternity leave so that may have also helped with my perceptions of it.

The Women is the story of Mary Haynes and her friends. Mary discovers that her husband is cheating on her with a perfume girl from Saks and her friends help her through the crisis. The interesting thing about this film and the original is that no men ever appear - it is an entirely women cast.

While I was entertained by the movie, it seemed to fall flat. First of all, the friendships between the women were rather flat and unexciting. They were much more catty in the original film - which filled it with a wicked fun. I felt like each character could have been interesting by themselves, but they were never really fully realized and their relationships with Mary never really felt real.

Secondly, what was up with Meg Ryan's hair and wardrobe for the first part of the movie? I realize she was a woman coming into her own, but didn't realize it was also a make over story. Come on! If she was a fashion designer, why, o why would she be wearing such terrible clothes. It made no sense.

I did like how the story was updated for the times though with the women having careers of their own. I also liked Mary and Sylvia's friendship in this movie - although it took away from the overall cattiness that was part of the original.

I did not like the ending. Having gone through labor and even before, I don't find fake labor on movies entertaining. At all. And to end it there, just seemed weird.

Did anyone else have more positive thoughts about this movie?