The Stepford Wives (2004)
Make one.
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Matthew Broderick, Bette Midler, Glenn Close, Christopher Walken, Roger Bart, David Marshall Grant, Jon Lovitz, Dylan Hartigan, Fallon Brooking, Faith Hill, Matt Malloy, Kate Shindle, Tom Riis Farrell, Lorri Bagley
Director: Frank Oz
Running Time: 93 minutes
US MPAA rating: PG-13UK BBFC rating: 12a
Comedy, Drama, Thriller
Whichever way you look at it, 'The Stepford Wives' seems a strange choice of film to remake. After all, the 1975 original was very much a film of its time, tapping into the war of the sexes and presenting us with a memorable slice of satire in the process. But skip forward twenty years or so to the present day and it's fair to say feminism isn't exactly the hottest of topics.
So what social relevance is there in 2004 for a film about a community of men who robotically enhance their women-folk to bake cakes by day and partake in scintillating bedroom acrobatics by night? The answer, as it happens, is none - which creates the conundrum of what direction to take this production in so that viewers will actually give a women's lib.
Out the window, then, goes insightful social commentary, and in its place comes out-and-out comedy. Writer Paul Rudnick ('Addams Family Values' and 'In & Out' are among the more noteworthy bullet-points on his CV) and director Frank Oz present us with a film that says nothing and means nothing, but in all fairness just about achieves its aim, which is to make us laugh. It's not a belly-quaker by any stretch of the imagination, but it can't be denied that it has its fair-share of nice one-liners and witty observations.
The cast, meanwhile, is headed by Nicole Kidman. She plays Joanna Eberhard, the high-flying TV exec who ends up on the dole queue after taking one of her infamous reality shows a mite too far. So hubby Walter (Matthew Broderick) decides its time for the whole fam to pack their bags and move to the idyllic suburban town of Stepford - where the homes are perfect and the women are even better. Of course, it doesn't take our Jo long to smell a big fat rat.
It's all fairly forgettable stuff but, with the exception of the out-of-place final 20 minutes, it's an amusing enough way to pass the time. It's also the first thing Kidman's done in years that hasn't been set exclusively up its own arse, and for that reason alone is actually a little refreshing.
It's Got: Pastel dresses, caked-on make-up, and the most prettiest ATM machine you'll ever clap eyes on.
It Needs: A finale that doesn't look like it's been hurriedly stuck on after the dismal failure of audience test screenings (which, in actual fact, it was).
Alternatives: The Stepford Wives (1975), To Die For, The First Wives Club
Summary: It's safe to say nobody will remember this version twenty years down the line - but it's a reasonable enough distraction while it's on.
Review by Gary Panton
Review Date: 2nd August 2004
External Links
Official Web Site
The Stepford Wives at the IMDB
Comments12 Comments |
| This was a really stupid review. |
| Comment by:- Andrew | | 05 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| The movie was weak. I don't the problem was relevance of the subject matter, I think the problem was in the screenplay. Subtle as a German jazz band. Okay, 'artificiality is bad' We GET IT. In the end Nicole Kidman's character makes the pithy pronouncement that perfection defeats the purpose of 'normalcy.' Is that what I sat through a bad, too short movie to learn? Too slick, too glossy, theme wasn't properly developed or updated. Script was shallow and trite. Just call it the STEPFORD MOVIE. |
| Comment by:- Liz Hunyadi | | 06 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| I thought it was pretty funny...and I've read the book by the way. I don't think the modern version was exactly about the war of the sexes in the way it was in the orginal version because society has changed. But let's not kid ourselves that the battle of the sexes doesn't exist anymore. That's why in the current version, the men are all nerds and the women are all high flying career types : ) |
| Comment by:- Meg | | 11 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| dumb ****ing gay ass movie dont see it! |
| Comment by:- Roger | www.ebay.com | 21 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| I was disappointed I have to say. I thought the original much better and had a stronger ending. The tacked-on happy ending was definitely a weakness and I seem to recall that the original had more darkness and was subtly sinister. This one went for all-out comedy at the expense of suspense. Having said that there were some funny moments and Bette Midler and Glenn Close were excellent. |
| Comment by:- Huw | | 22 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| The Stepford Wives is an incredibly sharp satire on the battle of the sexes in the 21st Century. Skilfully updated, this is not a pointless remake a la Psycho starring Anne Heche a number of years back. This version carefully plucks from current popular culture what could happen when reality TV goes outrageously wrong, Internet searches on your neighbours and includes a gay character into the idyllic Stepford community. The critical underlying theme is that women have supposedly come a long way and made huge progress in gaining equality, but is it all it's cracked up to be? Is working long hours in high flying jobs and trying to juggle children and a happy marriage that great? We were told by our mothers that we should go out and get it all because we deserve it. But what does that mean exactly? Would it really be so bad to go back to a time where didn't have to work if you didn't want to, had more time to look after kids, bake cupcakes, go shopping in your Sunday best and not be too tired and frazzled to have sex every night? These are very now, relevant and complex questions that are dealt with in an extremely entertaining, stylish and humourous way. Like 1991's Death Becomes Her, this remake of The Stepford Wives is one those cult classics that the critics just didn't get. |
| Comment by:- Angela | | 28 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| Is Bette Midler that stuck for work? Is this the standard of work we can expect in the future form Holyrood? Wow, I better start taking an interest in sport? |
| Comment by:- denoco | | 29 August 2004 | ip: logged |
| Wow - This was my favorite movie ever!! I love the social issues it faces. The humor and relationship strugles were very real. It was entertaining and the actors were the best. I laughed and laughed and walked away nodding my head in agreement. I do agree the movie was too short and the ending (though good) a little thrown in. Some things were out of place script wise and just not thought through. It was still so funny! |
| Comment by:- Joan | pathhomeschool.com | 10 September 2004 | ip: logged |
Without doubt the worst movie I have ever seen. |
| Comment by:- Bob | | 28 September 2004 | ip: logged |
| I saw the previews and thought this was a must-see, having loved the original. Seeing the final cut, I realize only about one quarter of the clips from the trailer are actually in the film. SEE THE ORIGINAL with Katharine Ross and Paula Prentiss. I'm afraid the best parts of the remake ended up on the cutting room floor. |
| Comment by:- Seth | | 11 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| I just saw it, and I don't think much of the main story itself. But there are indeed very witty and funny lines here and there. |
| Comment by:- Leksie | | 24 November 2004 | ip: logged |
| Really poor movie. Sorry we paid money to see it. Bad mix of social-commentary-propaganda and an overdrawn SNL-style, run-on gag. The cast must be embarrassed. |
| Comment by:- Rich A | | 27 December 2004 | ip: logged |
