THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES
A film review by Steve Rhodes
Copyright 1996 Steve Rhodes
RATING (0 TO ****): ***
Celibacy as the true path to romantic love - now there is the basis for a high concept movie. Think about the possibilities. Get some expensive stars and make a comedy about abstinence before and during marriage. A film about the conscious abandonment of sex as a lifestyle is not your typical Hollywood fair.
Well, thanks to an hilarious script by normally serious screenwriter Richard LaGravenese (THE FISHER KING, A LITTLE PRINCESS, and THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY) and to careful direction by Barbra Streisand (YENTL and THE PRINCE OF TIDES), Streisand's new film, THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES, is a delightful comedy. Since there is a French film by the same name, perhaps this is a remake of it, but it plays like the remake of one of the romantic, American comedies of the 30s and 40s.
The show has the look and sound of a film made by a typical big budget producer. The film opens to loud French horns and there is rarely a quiet moment as the music by Marvin Hamlisch (SOPHIE'S CHOICE) dominates and overpowers much of the action. Like a laugh track in a TV sitcom, the overly perky music keeps chiming in to remind us when we should feel romantic and when amused. The script is quite strong on its own and does not need this heavy reinforcement.
Columbia University Math Professor Gregory Larkin (Jeff Bridges) has a problem with good looking females. They make his brain go to sleep and his intelligence drop to double digits. All a pretty woman has to do is walk into his classroom, and he starts falling all over himself. As his friend and fellow professor Henry (George Segal) chides him, "You're the only guy I know who can't have sex and chew gum."
According to the press kit, this is George Segal's 50th film. >From THE YOUNG DOCTORS (1961) on, he has been the reliable other man in many a film. Here his performance is OK, but nothing special, which is pretty typical for most of his pictures.
After a bout of channel surfing where Gregory finds even ladybugs doing it with great fervor, he decides that the world is obsessed with sex. He uses an ad to find a woman whose looks do not matter. Answering the ad, Claire (Mimi Rogers from SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME), tells him to ask out her sister, Romantic Literature Professor Rose Morgan (Barbra Streisand). After hearing Rose's lecture about the value that the twelfth century put on abstinence as a way to romantic love and after seeing her looks, he decides he has found his soul mate, roommate, and wife. He reasons that "the mathematical world is completely rational, uncomplicated by sex," and therefore his plan to skip sex forever makes eminent good sense. Rose thinks his theories are nuts, but falls for him anyway.
The clothes in the show are straightforward but funny. When Rose's sister marries airhead hunk and skirt chaser Alex (Pierce Brosnan from GOLDENEYE), Rose has to wear a pink dress that looks like a teenager's prom dress. She tells her mother, Hannah (Lauren Bacall), "I look like an over the hill Barbie Doll." Lauren Bacall is terrific in the film as the domineering and acerbic mom who knows best for her middle aged daughter. Hannah's lines are wryer than the others, but well delivered with precise timing.
The film isn't just a comedy. The scenes of Rose in class interacting with her students could be textbook examples of how to enliven a class with energetic teaching. As the story advances, the pathos of middle age takes center stage as does homeliness. Rose has no self-confidence and cancels her dates. She tells her mom of her first meeting with Gregory that, "It's not a date. We're just agreeing to eat at the same place." When he peppers her with mathematical trivia on their date, she confides, "First date where I feel like I'm winning on a game show." Streisand, the actress, plays her part convincingly with absolute control and wit.
Bridges approaches his role too reserved, and he never made me believe that Gregory ever cared for Rose. He did get some great lines including the one when he told her, he was serious about her, "I want to be upfront. I am not interested in sex with you." Rose gives him a pained you've-got-to-be-kidding look.
Gregory is pleased that Rose holds no physical attraction for him. One time, he happens to gaze upon her appearance and remarks, "You don't use make-up." To which she retorts, "What's the point? It'd still be me - only in color." Later she confesses to her mother, "Let's face it. They're not standing in line for me."
The best line in the whole show is the one, also seen in the trailers, where Rose finally demands her conjugal rights. At breakfast she announces, "By the way, would telling you now that I want sex tonight be enough of a warning?"
The way the story is wrapped up works comedically, and yet it feels false to the spirit of the movie. The last scene, however, is terrific and my favorite of the whole picture.
For a film where the dialog is crisp and funny, and where the female lead is near perfect, I found the movie surprisingly uninvolving. I think the mistake was in the casting of Jeff Bridges. He was not believable, and worse than that, I never cared about him. A one way chemistry in a love story is not enough. I had a good time and I laughed a lot, but I left unrequited. The film wanted me to love it, but I was only able to laugh at it.
THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES runs way too long at over two hours. Comedies have no business going much past 1:40 since the jokes start getting repetitive and stale. The film is rated PG-13 for lots of conversation about sex, but no actual sex, nudity or violence. There are a few cuss words, but mainly the language is quite mild. The film would be fine for any kid who knows about sex and likes romantic comedies. I recommend the film to your for its humor and for Streisand's lovely performance, and I give it ***.
**** = One of the top few films of this or any year. A must see film. *** = Excellent show. Look for it. ** = Average movie. Kind of enjoyable. * = Poor show. Don't waste your money. 0 = One of the worst films of this or any year. Totally unbearable.
REVIEW WRITTEN ON: November 12, 1996
Opinions expressed are mine and not meant to reflect my employer's.
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