Better as a drama than a comedy

Saw this on TV last night, expecting a bit of light entertainment and a few laughs. Got a bit of light entertainment, no laughs, but thought it did OK as a chick-flick girl-power drama. The movie could have been close to a slice-of-life coming-of-age drama with all those decisions that young career women have to make, if it wanted to be.

Unfortunately, despite reasonably valid messages hidden in the dross, the movie had trouble delivering because it never figured out what it was. Why not a drama with some humorous moments? That would have worked, and been uplifting & heartwarming, too. In that case, cut the Mike Myers character. But as a comedy, it failed.

I note in the out-takes during the credits that they left a lot of film on the cutting room floor, and most of it was intended to be funny. So undoubtably, they were having this same comedy / drama debate while filming and editing.

In 5 years time, I won't remember any of the attempted humor in this film, but I will remember the strong characters played by Candice Bergan & Gwyneth Paltrow, what they accomplished by having a vision; and maybe I'll take a message from that.

(I had the same kind of reaction to another Gwyneth film: Shallow Hal. Some attempt at humor, but mostly it was about the truths in life. )



You see smaller ones in mens magazines. But for a normal cell phone mine is small, smaller than average.