• About
  • Mortgage Basics
  • $40K Challenge
  • Aunt Doris
  • Grandfather Says
  • Privacy
  • Archives

Len Penzo dot Com

The offbeat personal finance blog for responsible people.

Drive-By Movie Review: The Women

By Len Penzo

This is a review of the 2008 movie The Women, starring Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, and Eva Mendes.

Plot Synopsis: A group of close-knit women try to figure out how to help their friend when she finds out that her husband of 13 years is having an affair.

Me: Well, there are chick flicks and then there are CHICK FLICKS. But, Honeybee, I just saw the Mother of All Chick Flicks.

The Honeybee: So, how are you feeling?

Me: You know, I suddenly find myself with this insatiable urge to watch the Rambo movie marathon on TNT so I can begin reclaiming just a tiny bit of the manhood that slowly drained from my body over the previous two hours.

The Honeybee: That bad, huh? I think the cast was first rate: Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Candice Bergen, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Me: That is a lot of female star power there, Honeybee! By the way, all 47 credited actors in this movie were of the fairer sex!

The Honeybee: Which is all the more amazing when one considers that the central story of this movie revolved around a cheating husband.

Me: Yeah, despite never seeing or hearing from him, they did do a good job working the two-timer into the story. This story focuses on clothing designer Mary Haines (Ryan) who finds out that her wealthy financier hubby of 13 years is cheating on her with a despicable gold digger (Eva Mendes) who happens to work at the Saks Fifth Avenue perfume counter.

The Honeybee: You know, I didn’t like Mary’s reaction once she found out her husband was having an affair.

Me: Or her relative lack of a reaction.

The Honeybee: Yes! I don’t know if this was intentional on Meg Ryan’s part, but I got the strong impression Mary felt her husband’s affair was more of a nuisance than anything else. She reacted the way I would expect if she was told her car was in the parking lot with a flat tire.

Me: Anyway, several of her closest whiny upper-class friends then go into action to try and help, and what follows is a primer on friendships and the inner conflicts that one must deal with when faced with the reality of a two-timing spouse.

The Honeybee: The story was just too unrealistic for me to be really enjoyable.

Me: For me, the movie’s only mildly entertaining moment came when Bette Midler made a brief cameo as a pot smoking wacko who counsels Mary to take revenge on her cheatin’ man by reveling in the glory of selfishness.

The Honeybee: I won’t spoil it, but I did like how Mary ended up resolving the situation in the end.

Me: And I also enjoyed the eye candy provided by the always-gorgeous Mendes, but unfortunately her scenes were just too few and far between to hold my attention in a movie that really was never geared for my demographic anyway. For me, this movie was a definite “Sell.” What say you, Honeybee?

The Honeybee: What?

Me: Is it a “buy” or “sell” recommendation for The Women?

The Honeybee: Although I love a good chick flick, this one really sucked. “Sell.”

Hey! If you liked this article, please be sure to subscribe to my RSS feed! 🙂

8 Comments July 23, 2009

Comments

  1. 1

    Terri says

    I agree with your wife. I too really like “chick flicks” as much as the next girl, but that movie was terrible. It was especially hard for me to really sympathize with all of these supposedly wildly successful self centered rich ladies in the first place.

    Terri

    Reply
  2. 2

    Jan says

    Didn’t see the movie. So, Len, should I assume you would have been okay if the movie had an all-male cast?

    Reply
  3. 3

    Pepper says

    I’m off to blockbuster right now to pick up some movies. I was considering getting this one, but I guess I will pass on it now. Love the reviews, you two! I can’t wait for the next one.

    Reply
  4. 4

    Len Penzo says

    @Terri: If I know what’s good for me I always try to agree with the Honeybee too. 😉

    @ Jan: Just to be clear, the fact that the cast was all-female didn’t bother me. But to answer your question: absolutely.

    @Pepper: Thank you, Pepper. We’ll be posting these every Thursday evening to help you with your Friday night DVD selections!

    Reply
  5. 5

    niacin drug test says

    Got done watching the film this afternoon kinda drifted off before. I was expecting more because people hyped it up too much.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

The Question of the Week:

Should you be allowed to opt out of Social Security?

View Results

Loading ... Loading ...

Recent Posts

  • Filling Out the 1040 Form: Key Points to Know
  • How to Use Line Shopping as a Financial Tool When Betting on Sports
  • Grandfather Says: Eulogy for a Friend
  • How to Financially Prepare for a Divorce
  • Behold the $100,000 Hamburger!
  • Should You Diversify Your Portfolio With Crypto? 3 Pros and Cons
  • 3 Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Out as an Investor
  • 5 Investment Strategies To Help You Save For Retirement
  • 22 Smart Money Tips Everyone Can Learn by Playing Doctor
  • Black Coffee: Playing a Losing Game

Disclaimer

This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and the content herein should not be mistaken for professional financial advice. In fact, making investment decisions based on information published here, or any other website for that matter, is more than unwise; it is folly. This website accepts advertising in the form of monetary and other compensation; as such, topics of discussion are occasionally influenced by these advertisers. Sometimes, an article may also include affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, this blog earns a commission if you click through and make a purchase (for example, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases). Remember, you and you alone are responsible for the decisions you make in life, so please contact an independent financial professional for advice regarding your unique personal situation.

Sign up for the weekly Len Penzo dot Com newsletter
Len Penzo dot Com Delivered Weekly
Join more than 30,000 readers and fans who enjoy personal finance and macroeconomics with an offbeat twist!
Invalid email address
Thanks for subscribing!

Popular Now:

  1. 1. The 7 Most Popular Ways to Commit Financial Suicide
  2. 2. 25 Examples of Shrinkflation That No Longer Fool Consumers
  3. 3. The 10 Worst Things I Ever Bought
  4. 4. 7 Perplexing Money Questions Without a Good Answer
  5. 5. My Cola Taste Test: Is Coke Really Better Than Pepsi?
  6. 6. Planning a Wedding? Here Are 9 Ways to Ensure You’ll Pay Too Much
  7. 7. Economic Collapse 101: How to Prepare for Water Supply Disruptions
  8. 8. A Simple Test to Know If It’s Better to Rent or Buy a Home
  9. 9. The Big Secret the Banking Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know
  10. 10. 4 Good Reasons Why Some Quarters Are Painted Red

All-Time Most Popular:

  1. 1. 19 Things Your Suburban Millionaire Neighbor Won’t Tell You
  2. 2. Dear Friend: Here Are 41 Reasons Why I’m NOT Lending You the Money
  3. 3. Why Your Expensive Luxury Car Doesn’t Impress Smart People
  4. 4. If You Can’t Live on $40,000 Annually It’s Your Own Fault
  5. 5. 21 Reasons Why Corner Lots Are for Suckers
  6. 6. 4 Smart Reasons Why College Isn’t for Everyone
  7. 7. 18 Fast Facts About Social Security Numbers
  8. 8. My Ketchup Taste Test: Upset! Guess Which Brand Topped Heinz
  9. 9. Why I Prefer a Spreadsheet to Track Expenses and Manage My Finances
  10. 10. Here’s a Simple Trick for Getting Credit Card Interest Charges Waived

Copyright © 2021 Len Penzo dot Com · All Rights Reserved · Designed by Nuts and Bolts Media

© Len Penzo dot Com 2008–2021