I Could Never Be Your Woman (Movie Review by Nicola-Jane Ford)
I Could Never Be Your Woman
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Chick flicks. Gotta love them. They make you laugh a little, cry a little (sometimes) and generally leave you with that feel-good-fuzzy feeling. Well, here’s another chick flick to add to the list, which has lots of the ‘laugh’ and none of the ‘cry’. I Could Never Be Your Woman stars (‘she-of-perfect-cheekbones’) Michelle Pfeiffer as Rosie and the very cute Paul Rudd as her love interest, Adam. Rosie is both a working woman and a (single) mom. Adam enters the scene so to speak when he joins the TV show for which Rosie is the script writer. There’s an instant connection and the sparks fly. ‘Thing is though, Rosie is in her early forties while Adam hasn’t even cracked 30 yet. This sends Rosie running for the hills, hence the movie’s title. And there you have it - the nutshell version.
There’s obviously a lot more to the story but what’s quite mention-worthy is the movie’s stance on women and general stuff we go through as the ‘fairer’ sex. (Don’t panic – no bra burning moments coming up, just some ‘observations’.) First up is the notion of an older women dating a younger man. No big deal! And yet it is. Hmmm… double-standards, me-thinks. Men date younger women all the time. The film further explores the whole ‘being a girl’ thing though Rosie’s teenage daughter, Izzie, who is in that awkward ‘coming of age’ stage which I’m sure we all remember, like it or not. (Oh, it wasn’t that bad. And my therapist tells me she’s very pleased with my progress… [Just kidding. Hmmm…]) Anyway, here we have Izzie who’s saying goodbye Barbie and hello boys and of course with boys comes a flurry of emotions and insecurities. In its own subtle way, the movie touches on the insecurities women (of all ages) face on a continual basis. I found myself identifying with both Izzie and Rosie. You may too, which is what makes this movie quite cool. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that we should stop trying to be the perfect woman, and instead focus on being the perfect ‘us’.
Then again, maybe I’m reading too much into the movie. Oh well, if nothing else, it’s a really sweet chick flick with lots of laughs and moments that will have you nodding your head in agreement. Oh yes, there’s also a really fun performance by funny-lady Tracy Ullman. She’s the film’s narrator and is the embodiment of Rosie’s sub-conscious / alter ego, who appears under the guise of Mother Nature (wacky, but it works). I particularly liked the scene where Rosie is jogging around the running track with said alter-ego in tow, complete with long flowing dress, flowers in the hair and a big packet of potato chips – my kinda girl! (Okay, you had to be there.)
On a chick-flick scale of dull to great, this one scores a ‘grab the popcorn and some girlfriends’. Enjoy!
Nicola-Jane Ford is a 30-year old ‘chick’ who is the proud guardian of a fabulous cat and many pairs of equally fabulous shoes. She lives in (gorgeous) Cape Town and supports her love of red wine by working as a copywriter. She is the Assistant Reviews Editor here at All Things Girl
