Review of Women in Trouble (2009) by Ben A. V — 25 Dec 2010

When porn star Elektra Luxx(Carla Gugino) hears that she has to visit her doctor's office about her recent blood test, she fears the worst. So much so, she does not see Holly(Adrianne Palicki), a co-star, when she is backing out of the parking lot. So, Elektra is relieved to learn that she is in fact pregnant. After gathering herself and straightening her breasts, she is about to leave when she ends up trapped in an elevator with Doris(Connie Britton) who has issues of her own.

And what of Holly, you ask? Well, she is fine after she is almost run over for the second time in the same day, this time by Maxine(Sarah Clarke) who is trying to get away from her philandering husband(Simon Baker). So, Holly and her best friend Bambi(Emmanuelle Chriqui) take her to a bar.

With a very good cast, "Women in Trouble"(if somebody could point out Joseph Gordon-Levitt, let me know) gets off to a good start, playing the absurdist angle well in its exploration of a sisterhood of women from different backgrounds. But the movie's momentum slows to a crawl and the sexiness and silliness give way to talkiness and sentimentality. In the end, this is a valiant effort that feels sadly incomplete(either the focus needed to be tightened or more time given to all of the characters) and just sort of comes to a halt.