Product: What Women Want [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 2.0
MISSED OPPORTUNITY
First off let me say that I've always liked Mel Gibson ever since I saw Gallipolli. I loved The Year Of Living Dangerously, Maverick, Ransom, the Lethal Weapon series, Conspiracy Theory, even some of his less successful movies such as Mrs Soffel, The Bounty, Hamlet and The River. I think he is a fine, often underused and under-rated actor. I also really like Helen Hunt. However, this is the point where I say BUT (and this is the point where most people reading this review will move to the bottom of my review and click on no) I think this is up there with Air America as one of the worst movies Mel Gibson has ever made. I just thought it was dull, uninspired, unimaginative and worse still, clichéd.If you want a movie that perpetuates the myth that all men are male chauvinist pigs (I thought that idea went out with the 80's)then this is the one for you. Mel Gibson who regularly tops polls as the man all women want, stars here as an advertising executive (Nick) in this unimaginative, high concept low inteliigence movie about a man who can hear what women are thinking and discovers they don't all love him as much as he believed.Essentially this is a romantic comedy with the plot centring around Nick's attempts to undermine his new boss (Helen Hunt) when she gets the job and the promotion he thought were his. Using his ability to read her thoughts, he steals her ideas and just as his plan is beginning to work, would you believe it he falls in love with her and develops a conscience? Not exactly the most inspired, original or imaginative plot twist me thinks.To my mind this was a movie with a good premise and it could have been a good movie had they avoided the schmaltz and the stereotypes. They didn't. It's not all bad though, Mel Gibson is his usual charming self and Helen Hunt makes a sympathetic, intelligent and attractive love interest, even if the lighting throughout this movie does her no favours. The movie does have some good moments but if you've seen the promotional ad's you've pretty much seen all the best bits. I hope this review doesn't come over as a male taking offence to a bit of male bashing. I just think this was a missed opportunity.