Product: What Women Want [VHS] (2000)
Rating: 3.0
Very funny... on the surface
I was really looking forward to this movie when I saw the previews, mainly because it starred two of my favorite actors; Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt. I must say I was slightly disappointed... but only slightly. It is a very funny movie. Mel plays Nick, a shallow womanizer who suddenly has the ability to hear what females are thinking (all females, including dogs). Nick, while a basically decent sort of guy, is not altogether likeable, especially if you have strong values about feminism. Mel's portrayal is excellent, especially during scenes of outrageousness (like the scenes where he tries the feminine products). But, his character is too superficial to feel for. Helen Hunt's character Darcy, on the other hand, is real and down to earth, and very likeable. There is one poignant moment when Nick uses his "gift" to help a girl who might commit suicide. If there were more moments like this in the film, it would have been much more substantial and enjoyable movie. There was one whole area of the film that made no sense to me -- there's a girl in a coffee shop with whom Nick had always flirted... she had always made it clear that she was interested... but, only after Nick gets his new ability does he ask her out. But, he's too preoccupied with Darcy to take their relationship seriously. I was left thinking, "What was the point of that?" Overall, it's a very funny, but superficial romantic comedy (with a somewhat predictable ending).