What Women Want

What Women Want is a 2000 American romantic fantasy comedy film written by Josh Goldsmith, Cathy Yuspa, and Diane Drake, directed by Nancy Meyers, and starring Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt.
The film earned mixed reviews from critics but was a box office success, with a North American domestic gross of $182 million and a worldwide gross of $374 million against a budget of $70 million.
A loose remake, What Men Want, was released in 2019, starring Taraji P. Henson and Aldis Hodge.
==Plot==
Nick Marshall, a Chicago advertising executive, was raised by his Las Vegas showgirl mother. Nick is a chauvinist skilled at selling products to men and seducing women. He expects to get a promotion at the advertising firm Sloane Curtis, but his manager Dan instead announces that he is hiring Darcy McGuire to broaden the firm's appeal to women. Meanwhile, Nick's estranged 15-year-old daughter Alex is staying with him while his former wife Gigi is on her honeymoon with her new husband Ted. Nick embarrasses Alex, who resents his over-protectiveness when he meets her boyfriend Cameron, who is 18 years old.
Darcy tasks the staff, including Nick, to develop advertising ideas for a series of feminine products she distributes at the staff meeting. While testing a few items at home, Nick falls into his bathtub while holding an electric hairdryer, shocking himself, and is knocked unconscious. The next morning, Nick awakens to discover he has a new gift: he can hear women's thoughts. He has an epiphany, realizing that most women, especially at work, dislike him and consider him sleazy. He makes an impromptu visit to his former therapist, Dr. Perkins (who also disliked him), and she encourages him to use his newfound ability to his advantage.
Nick telepathically eavesdrops on Darcy and purloins her ideas to use as his own, but gradually becomes attracted to her. Alex resents Nick's years of neglect, but they start to bond while he takes her shopping for a prom dress. After Nick telepathically finds out that Alex intends to sleep with Cameron the night of the prom, Nick attempts to give her some advice. He tells her Cameron is not interested in her for who she is, just for what he can do with her in bed. Alex, thinking Nick is being over-protective and trying to sabotage her prom, rejects his advice.
Nick and Darcy spend more time together, becoming romantic. However, he steals Darcy's idea for a new Nike ad campaign aimed at women, though he later regrets his actions, especially as it leads to Dan firing Darcy. Nick persuades Dan to rehire Darcy, saying the ad was her idea and is eventually successful.
Overtime, Nick succeeds in repairing his relationships with female acquaintances, especially those at work. Nick loses his gift during a severe thunder and lightning storm while on his way to see the company secretary, Erin, who has been contemplating suicide. He offers her a position for which he had previously turned her down; she accepts. When Cameron dumps Alex at the prom for refusing to have sex, Nick finds and consoles her, cementing their newly-repaired relationship. Nick visits Darcy and explains everything. She fires him, but then forgives him, and they share a kiss.
==Cast==
*Mel Gibson as Nick Marshall: A Chicago advertising executive who acquires the gift to hear what women are thinking.
*Helen Hunt as Darcy McGuire: Nick's co-worker who later becomes his love interest.
*Marisa Tomei as Lola: Nick's once love interest who works in a coffee shop and is trying to become an actress.
*Alan Alda as Dan Wanamaker: Nick's boss.
*Ashley Johnson as Alex Marshall: Nick's daughter who comes to stay with him while her mom Gigi and stepdad Ted go on their honeymoon. She has a boyfriend named Cameron who later dumps her after she reveals her desire not to sleep with him right away. She at first has a rocky relationship with her dad but in the end reconciles with him.
*Mark Feuerstein as Morgan Farwell
*Lauren Holly as Gigi: Nick's ex-wife, mother of Alex and new wife of Ted, whom she leaves with at the beginning of the movie to go on their honeymoon.
*Delta Burke as Eve
*Valerie Perrine as Margo
*Judy Greer as Erin: A copy girl at Nick's workplace who is seemingly always ignored, had been turned down by Nick for a promotion, and is contemplating suicide.
*Sarah Paulson as Annie: Nick's secretary, but her job only consists of running menial errands for Nick, which she sees as degrading since she has an Ivy League education. She also has a boyfriend who lives in Israel.
*Ana Gasteyer as Sue Cranston
*Lisa Edelstein as Dina
*Loretta Devine as Flo
*Diana-Maria Riva as Stella
*Eric Balfour as Cameron: Alexandra's much older boyfriend who is a gameplayer and dumps her after she tells him that she is not ready to sleep with him after the prom.
*Logan Lerman as Young Nick Marshall
*Robert Briscoe Evans as Ted: Second husband of Gigi and stepfather of Alexandra. He leaves with Gigi at the beginning of the movie to go on their honeymoon.
*Alex McKenna as Alex's friend
*Bette Midler as Dr. J. M. Perkins (uncredited)
==Theatrical Trailer==
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Category:Paramount Pictures films
Category:Paramount films
Category:Icon Productions films
Category:Films starring Mel Gibson
Category:English-language films
Category:2000s fantasy-comedy films
Category:2000 romantic comedy films
Category:2000s romantic fantasy films
Category:American fantasy-comedy films
Category:American films
Category:American romantic comedy films
Category:Films directed by Nancy Meyers
Category:Films produced by Bruce Davey
Category:Films scored by Alan Silvestri
Category:Films set in Chicago
Category:Films shot in Chicago
Category:Films shot in Los Angeles