Review of Beaches (1988) by Aaron B — 28 Aug 2011

Beaches is your average, run of the mill, '80s chick flick. Though I have no problem with that, what starts out as a strong and interesting story ends in an unnecessary tear jerker.

After a little lost WASP, Hilary Essex, meets the excenteric, CC Bloom, they become the best for friends. They meet again, years later, CC still working her way to the top while Hilary left her rich and controling parents. The two live together, but their friendship goes through a rocky road when relationships and jealousy tear them apart. Beaches starts off strong and very funny. Frankly my favourite part was the part when the lead characters were played by kids, CC played by "Blossom" and "Big Bang Theory" co-star, Mayim Bialik. The great friendship continues when Bette Midler and Berbara Hershey hit the screen as they help eachother out and fall into grudges against eachother. But I'll be honest, after the part with Mayim Bialik it pretty much goes downhill from there. The script isn't really different than what we're used to seeing, and CC Blooms rise to greatness doesn't seem to be the largest concern anymore, it becomes a story about 2 women who fight over nothing. And by the end there is no touching revelation between their friendship, just a touching moment like a ribbon on the bow. It looks pretty, but adds nothing to what is inside the box.

I wouldn't put too much blame on the writing though. I would but the blame of Gary Marshall, the director. Whenever the movie reaches it's most personal moments, the directing is always a little off from being touching. The material is all there, but it is presented in a unenthusiastic and forgetable way. The camera position and cinematography is mostly a hit and a miss the whole way. The pacing is a little slow too once the movie goes along. But there are some good shots, like whenever CC did a show. The set designs and shooting locations add a nice feel to the movie. And the Bette Midler soundtrack isn't all that bad.

It's good as a chick flick, but frankly, there where way too many movies in the '80s that tried to be the next Terms of Endearment. Steel Magnolias was one of them, and Beaches is almost the same. Beaches is a lovely story about enduring friendship, but it dosn't come close to being a great movie.