Review of Something to Talk About (1995) by Sharon H — 22 Nov 2009

(from The Watermark 08/13/95).

PRETTY WOMEN?: I recall a lot of discussion over Julia Roberts being involved in a remake of George Cukor?s 1939 classic The Women. After seeing Roberts in her newest romantic comedy, SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT, I?m wondering if this film is supposed to be it. See if you don?t notice the similarities: Roberts and Dennis Quaid play a married couple who have a daughter. Roberts finds out that Quaid has been having an affair - and worse still, her friends have known about it for a while. These ?friends? are mostly members of a Southern Ladies Charity League - social climbing hens who insist that they be called by their husbands' names preceded by ?Mrs.?, just so people will ?know who they are.?

Roberts decides to end her marriage, and takes off with the daughter to stay with her parents, who run a stable and train show horses. Roberts? father (Robert Duvall) wants them to get back together again because he?s involved in a business deal with Quaid. Her mother (Gena Rowlands) urges her to keep her chin up and allow Quaid to sow his oats - as long as she doesn?t make waves and give people something to talk about. Rowlands even admits to tolerating extra-marital affairs of Duvall?s. Roberts only gets sympathy from her sassy sister, played by Kyra Sedgwick.

The cast is great, especially Sedgwick and Rowlands. Duvall does what he does best (playing an asshole) in his role as the father. The picture does have its dissimilarities to The Women: most importantly, the subplot involving the Ladies League is de-emphasized while the major subplot involving Duvall and his show horses is new and made more important.

The Women?s message was for females to tolerate the shortcomings of their men; this film modernizes the point by saying that a person can find forgiveness, but needs to re-examine her own self to find it. Roberts learns to do this as the picture progresses, and she finds a few faults of her own in the process. The change she undergoes is subtle but successful.

Something To Talk About is a pleasant film; the only thing it lacks is a true emotional link between its main plot and major subplot. Both stories are good, but at times seem like they could be two separate films. Screenwriter Callie Khouri (Thelma & Louise) is credited with the script, and no mention of any sort of adaptation is given by the film. Whether it?s The Women or not, it stands well on its own as a sweet and light romantic comedy.

Queer Quotient: Nothing but breeders to be found both inside and outside of the stables.

POST REVIEW: 11/22/2009: The actual remake of "The Women" didn't get made until 2008 (starring Meg Ryan). But I still say the similarities are unignorable -- I'm surprised Clare Booth Luce's family never sued for plagiarism. Then again, STTA has slowly drifted out of the public eye since its release, and many people don't even remember it. ALSO: Kyra Sedgwick has found her own stardom since this film, but DANG if she & Roberts don't look like they could actually be sisters. That was SUPERB casting.