Movie Review: The Women

Affairs of the heart can by trying. All too often lovers are caught in triangles that can inflict considerable pain on families and even friends. Trouble in paradise comes fast and furious when socialite Mary Haines gets the jolt of her life. Apparently Mary’s wealthy husband may be having an affair – and with the “spritzer” girl at the Saks Fifth Avenue no less! Once Mary’s legion of close friends hones in on this “departure” all bets are off and the dye is cast for a monumental struggle that results in Mary and friends having to look deep and hard at their own station in life, not to mention how to “handle” this assault on their senses.
Director/writer Diane English has assembled a fantastic cast of women for this 114 minute odyssey. For a first time director Ms. English belts out a winner and has a great gift for dialogue and knowing how women may confront such dilemmas. Having such an A-list group of accomplished women with a wealth of experience in all matters of filmmaking and affairs of the heart doesn’t hurt either.
Meg Ryan (When Harry Met Sally) pulls off one of her best performances yet as the perky New York suburban wife whose marriage to a wealthy Wall Street financier may be on the rocks big time. Where the fun really kicks in with this movie concerns all Mary’s close friends who each are extremely well defined. Even Cloris Leachman (The Last Picture Show) soars in her plain Jane role as the maid of the manor, so to speak.
Motherhood and romance go hand and hand in this romantic eye –opener with Annette Benning effectively engaging as best friend Sylvia Flower. Ms.