Review of What Women Want (2000) by Caleb M — 17 Dec 2010

Possibly the most sexist film ever made by a woman. It's charming in a light way, and Mel Gibson has undeniable star-power. The film has ambition, and thankfully doesn't stick to the sitcom-style premise of Gibson reading women's minds for the (far too long) 2-hour running time.

Unfortunately Meyers never really breaks out of the typical sloppy rom-com formula, and by the end everything has pretty much been wrapped up exactly how you'd expect. Still, Gibson sells this shtick with real charisma, and Ashley Johnson, Marisa Tomei, and Alan Alda provide some enjoyable supporting performances.

I won't even begin to discuss how awful Helen Hunt is. She literally gives the same performance every film, and it's the same Hollywood-standard strong woman role each time. It never, ever, feels like anything more than playing into what studios think women want to see.

At least the rest of the cast is fun, and it isn't as pretentious and tedious as a film like As Good As It Gets.