Despite how unflattering some reviews were regarding this remake of the 1975 movie of the same name, I think The Stepford Wives has got to be one of the funniest movies to hit the cinemas within the past few months. A-list actress, Nicole Kidman, for once, does not have to stretch her dramatic chops very much for the role of a power-hungry executive turned model-housewife-wannabe and this is actually a good thing because I think that she's got a yet-to-be-polished comedic flair. It is such a waste then, that Kidman and the supporting cast are sadly limited by their almost one-dimensional characterisations. Nevertheless, there is a considerable amount of talent to be appreciated in the form of Bette Midler, Roger Bart, Glenn Close and Matthew Broderick, all of whom managed to make full use of what unimaginative lines they had to successfully turn in flawless performances. This is ensemble acting at its best, although I feel that the scripting could have been much better.
I particularly liked the surreal-ness of the costumes and the props and how they evoked an image of America in the 1930s and 40s, during the era when Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz ruled the goggle box with their goofy antics. There is a lot of outrageous over-acting in this movie but it's all very tongue-in-cheek and hilarious. The most terrible thing about The Stepford Wives, in my honest opinion, is its length; with a total running time of slightly under an hour and a half, it's simply much too short~! ;p
my ratings: 3.7/5 stars!!
