By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 1 cat
Director: Frank Oz
Starring: Bette Midler | Christopher Walken | Faith Hill | Glenn Close | Matthew Broderick | Mike White | Nicole Kidman | Roger Bart
Country: united_states
Year: 2004
Running time: 93
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0327162/combined
Bruce says: “More is certainly less. The number of giant stars in a film is inversely proportionate to the number of cats it will receive. That’s a rule of thumb I should have memorized by now. THE STEPFORD WIVES roped in most of the remaining Hollywood stars that weren’t off filming OCEAN’S TWELVE. Having had sense enough to bypass the first Stepford film, I should have known better this time around. THE STEPFORD WIVES is an unfortunate example of wasted talent
“Joanna Eberhart (Nicole Kidman) is one of the most successful producers in television but when she is shot (but miraculously not hurt) by an angry reality victim named Hank (Mike White) she is abruptly fired by the executives at the network in spite of the fact that she would like to do a reality show based on her assassin’s more accurate hit later that night. Joanna suffers a breakdown and her husband (Matthew Broderick) decides that they are moving to a gated community in Stepford, Connecticut. Off they go to live in a Mc Mansion peddled by realtor Claire Wellington (Glenn Close). Claire is not merely a realtor but she also acts as cheerleader and event director for the Stepford Wives.
“Almost all the women of Stepford keep immaculate homes, look their best every moment of the day and are tigresses in the bedroom. By the way, one of the Stepford Wives is male(Roger Bart), he being the more creative, sensitive and submissive half of a gay couple. Claire’s husband, Mike Wellington (Christopher Walken), makes sure that everyone knows Stepford is a tolerant community.
“Soon Joanna knows something is terribly wrong with Stepford. During a square dance Sarah Sunderson (Faith Hill) falls to the floor. Joanna sees sparks flying out of her ears. Joanna soon does some research and discovers that Sarah was once the CEO of a major airline and that most of the other women also had high powered jobs making far more than their husbands. Now they are robots. Her new friend Bobbie Markowitz (Bette Midler) is a famous writer and is the antithesis of a Stepford wife. When Joanna walks into Bobbie’s normally messy kitchen one day to find it spotless, she knows ‘they’ now have Bobbie, too But who are ‘they?’ It makes no difference, really. By this time, the script has degenerated rapidly and the remainder of the film is nearly unbearable.
“What starts out as a cute concept would have been better off as an off-off-Broadway play than a full feature film. Frank Oz’s direction is inept in spite of good attempts by Nicole Kidman and a good moment or two when Glenn Close is not overacting. Paul Rudnick’s script is boring and laced with gay humor where none belongs.
“THE STEPFORD WIVES cost $90 million and took in $59 million. That signals hope that there won’t be a sequel or another remake. That a film this bad could be made is hard to believe. Treat yourself, don’t see it. 1 cat”
Bob G. responds: “I agree that this is definitely one of the best examples of Hollywood dreck anyone will ever find.
But…. you really should check out the 1975 film. It’s grim ending is true to the novel (whereas this version is certainly not), and the performances and effects are relatively low-key and all the better for it. William Goldman’s script is nicely nasty and unglossy, though it supposedly was even more so before he quit (or was fired, can’t remember…. sorry) halfway through the production. And Katherine Ross’ wannabe professional photog is much more identifiable and sympathetic a character vs. Kidman’s irritating, overblown trash TV exec.
“I knew this remake would fail before it was released because you just can’t satirize a satire without negating the whole venture. Do your math studio execs… The old double-negative rule strikes again.”