Frank Oz is never afraid to play his comedy broad. In his more successful films like LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS it works really well and to some degree it works in films like BOWFINGER, IN & OUT, HOUSESITTER and WHAT ABOUT BOB? His satirical edge is never lost, but it’s usually as subtle as a sledgehammer to the back of the head.
Unlike the original film of the same name, the wives of Stepford, CT are early on revealed as robotic enhanced versions of the men of Stepford’s spouses. Joanna Eberhart (Nicole Kidman, TO DIE FOR) is an uber-successful TV exec, who gained mega-hits with exploitative series, making women look like a higher species than men. A sticky legal affair leads to Joanna getting fired, which directly leads to her mental breakdown. Concerned, Joanna’s husband Walter Kresby (Matthew Broderick, ELECTION) moves the family to Stepford, where the wives all seem like clones of the women on the cover of BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS circa 1954.
The film has some wonderful poignant moments about the desire of men who want to control their powerful and successful wives. However, the film takes way too long to win you over after the horrendously bad opening segment. The TV shows that Joanna pushes are disgusting trash. The film plays up her attitude to stereotypical degrees. There is no problem having her snobby and unwelcome to the whitewashed persona of the suburbs, but she doesn’t come off with wit, just bitter spit. Joanna befriends novelist Bobbie Markowitz (Bette Midler, FIRST WIVES CLUB) and flamboyantly gay Roger Bannister (Roger Bart, THE INSIDER), who have a much more cynical and satirical view of their surroundings. It’s these characters that save the day to some degree and lighten up Joanna’s character.
The problem with the film is that it’s mostly predictable and the tone is all over the place. It commits the cardinal sin of comedy – it abandons human logic for gags. In the end, the film has some wit, but ruins any subtly and real laughs by swinging for the fences on every pitch. There’s a lot worse you could watch, but there’s a lot better as well. Just wait for cable for this one.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
