The Stepford Wives

Despite an A-list cast, this is a really poor and disjointed film that is much more about the stars than it is about any cohesive story. Television executive "Joanna" (Nicole Kidman) has burned the candle at both ends for too long, has a bit of a breakdown, and is shunted off to the manicured hedges and lawns of Stepford in Connecticut by her rather insipid husband "Walter" (Matthew Broderick). It doesn't take them long to realise that this is conceivably the most sterile, charm free place on the planet. All their neighbours have wives who would vie for the most vacuous woman prize - doting on their looks, their dresses, their hair, their gardens - whilst their men folk, under the watchful eye of "Mike Wellington" (Christopher Walker) and his uber-glamorous wife "Claire" (Glenn Close) seem to live the life of Reilly. Luckily, "Bobbie" (Bette Midler) offers "Joanna" the vaguest of lifelines as the only other voice of near sanity in this oasis of feminine perfection, but how long before they succumb too - or can they resist the mysterious effects of the spa and the gentleman's club? There is really very little to like or enjoy in this. For it to have worked, it would have required much more humour and charisma on screen. The narrative meanders in just too flat and stolid a fashion, with little for us to get our teeth into. Middler has probably the best chance at injecting a degree of personality into the thing, but even she struggles with the wordy dialogue and the lacklustre delivery. It looks good, effort has certainly been expended there - but the rest of this is just poor and disappointing. The 1975 film isn't great, but it's way better than this.