THE FIRST WIVES CLUB
A film review by Joe Blenkle
Copyright 1996 Joe Blenkle
(***1/2 out of ****) Rated PG
Funny, funny, funny! Paramount's new comedy "The First Wives Club" is a well-rounded outing that has a little bit of everything.
Not only is it a very funny movie, it has its touching moments, a little bit of drama, and lots of hijinx that will keep you in stitches for the entire length of the film.
"The First Wives Club" stars Bette Midler as Brenda, Goldie Hawn as Elsie, and Diane Keaton as Annie, three life-long friends that have drifted apart in their years since college.
The trio is brought back together by the tragic suicide of another friend, who despite her great wealth suffered from a failed marriage and an unhappy, lonely life.
The "girls" find they have more in common with their departed friend than they'd like to admit. Despite Brenda's loving son, Elsie's career as an actress, and Annie's seemingly happy marriage and life as a housewife, all three discover after a night of drinking that they are all miserable.
Brenda and Elsie's husbands have dumped them for younger women and Annie is soon to discover that husband Aaron's (Stephen Collins) night on the town is only a gentle way of breaking the news to her that he wants a divorce.
The girls ban together to form "The First Wives Club" to hand a little bit of misery back to their ex-husbands.
Brenda schemes to get the "goods" on ex-husband Morty's (Dan Hedaya) selling stolen goods in his electronics store; Elsie is ordered to liquidate all her and Bill's (Victor Garber) possessions and split the money. She sells them to Annie for a dollar. Annie auctions them off to raise enough money to buy her husband's advertising firm out from underneath him.
The girls definitely get the goods on the guys with hilarious results.
The film also stars Sarah Jessica Parker as Shelly, a dim-wit blonde who has taken up with Morty; Bronson Pinchot plays Duarto, an interior decorator friend of Brenda; and Elizabeth Berkley (Phoebe) stars as Bill's new (and not known to him - underage) love interest.
"The First Wives Club" is a Paramount Pictures presentation produced by Scott Rudin and Directed by Hugh Wilson. Screenplay by Robert Harling.
-- This review, photos, upcoming attractions, links and more can be found on my movie review web page at: http://www.calweb.com/~jblenkle/movies - stop by and visit! Guest reviews welcomed - email me at jblenkle@calweb.com
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