Finally ... a man is listening (What Women Want (DVD))

Member Name: aylawarner

Product:	What Women Want (DVD)
Date:	15/07/09 (62 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great cast especially Mel Gibson, very funny light-hearted film

Disadvantages: Won't have you in stitches

Nick Marshall is every woman's dream - a sexy and charming, hot-shot exec in an advertising agency. Yet he soon turns into a nightmare with his egotistical and arrogant nature and the fact that he thinks he's God's gift to women.

In a new advertising campaign, which needs the advertisers to delve deep into the minds of women, Nick ends up in a freak accident resulting in him having the ability to hear what women think. At first, hearing the voices of every single woman make Nick think he's going mad and he doesn't take kindly to finding out what the women around him truly think of him. But, after seeing a psychologist in a bid to get rid of his curse, the psychologist makes him see that he has been given a gift that he could use to his advantage.

So Nick takes on a positive new approach towards his 'gift', hoping to run to the beck and call of every woman's thoughts, making him look like a gentleman in the process. He also realises that he can use his gift to get forward in his career. He listens to the thoughts of Darcy McGuire, a new woman in the company who got the promotion he was after, and tells his boss about them using them as his own ideas. But, as always, love eventually gets in the way.

~ Cast ~
Nick Marshall - Mel Gibson
Darcy McGuire - Helen Hunt
Alex Marshall - Ashley Johnson
Lola - Marisa Tomei

It makes a change for Mel Gibson to be in a film that isn't packed with action but he does surprisingly well in this rom-com. His character is perfect and he plays it to a tee with a macho-ness and personality that has all the women running to him even though, to be honest, he's a bit of a pig. His actions and facial expressions are brilliant every time he hears a thought and I don't think anyone could have done it better.

Helen Hunt was also the perfect casting for her role as a career-minded and sophisticated woman. At first we kind of see her as a bit of a bitch, as she's taken Nick's dream job, but we soon realise that she's sensitive and friendly and sympathise with her when Nick steals her ideas.

The chemistry between the two main actors isn't the best I've seen but they do make a good couple on screen and they work very well together in the film.

Running next to the main storyline is also the addition of Nick's teenage daughter, Alex, who is currently dealing with all the usual teenage issues of boys, clothes and proms. Nick's never really been there for Alex but when he is suddenly given the gift of hearing women's thoughts this also includes his daughter's. Finding out about his daughter's bra size and when she intends to sleep with her boyfriend for the first time isn't really the sort of information a father should know. But when he hears her thoughts of how useless and embarrassing a dad he really is, we can only sympathise with him as he begins to try his hardest to make it up to her.

This isn't a hilarious rom-com and is nothing like the more recent comedies but it is one of those classic ones that you can watch over and over again and still find just as good. The film is filled with comical moments mainly surrounding the things that Nick hears about himself such as a scene when he is in the middle of a romantic liaison in bed with a woman and she thinks "Okay, lied about the grande". The women's thoughts are the things which provide most of the comedy and it's done very well with brilliant reactions from both the women and Nick regarding what they are thinking and saying.

The great thing about this film is that it is not only for girls to watch - my husband found it just as funny as me and he really enjoyed it. This is a great light-hearted and relaxing, romantic and funny film which I'd definitely recommend seeing.

Running time: 127 minutes
Certificate rating: 12
Director: Nancy Meyers
Release date: 2001

Summary: God knows what women would hear if they could hear men's thoughts!