WHAT WOMEN WANT

US, 2000, 126 minutes, Colour.
Mel Gibson, Helen Hunt, Marisa Tomei, Alan Alda, Lauren Holly, Ashley Johnson, Valerie Perrine, Delta Burke.
Directed by Nancy Myers.

Somehow or other, this comedy seems to be having its cake while eating it. It is allegedly a sophisticated feminist
comedy of manners where a chauvinist man about town gets his comeuppance as he learns (from hearing women's thoughts) how to be a sensitive male. But, with Mel Gibson in the role, obviously enjoying himself, he still gives an impression that at heart he really might be as chauvinist as he originally seems. That said, there are some funny situations and, at least in theory, a women's viewpoint prevails. But, along the way, Marisa Tomei is a lovelorn would-be-actress, Lauren Holly is the typical ex-wife, Ashley Johnson is the precocious teenager and Helen Hunt, who is once again strong and assertive, gets robbed of all the credit for her creativity in the advertising agency.

Maybe that's looking too seriously at what is froth, but the underlying themes keep asking to be taken seriously. But
maybe it all depends on whether you love or hate Mel Gibson and condemn his character or, like Helen Hunt, forgive him.

1. A popular vehicle for Mel Gibson? Themes of men and women? The title? The male chauvinist, his relationships, family, work? Women in a men's world?

2. The title and the device of Nick being able to hear women's thoughts, the effect on him, his growing feminine sensitivity, seeming to some women to be like a woman? How much inner transformation from this experience?

3. The New York settings, the advertising company, homes and apartments? The modern business world? Authentic - as a basis for this kind of fantasy comedy?

4. The stars, their personalities? The comic style? The musical score, the song-and-dance routines?

5. The basic situation: advertising, executives, Nick and his chauvinist attitudes, Dan and his appointing Darcy to the position that Nick expected? His internal reaction, external behaviour, at meetings?

6. The accident and his transformation? His ability to hear women's thoughts? The period when he was able to hear the thoughts? The lightning strike, his not being able to hear Erin? His going back to normal?

7. Mel Gibson's style, the personality of Nick, in his work, the relationship with his ex-wife, his not understanding his fifteen-year-old daughter? His expectations at the firm? His comments on women, his behaviour towards them? The beginnings of a transformation? His shock at hearing the women's thoughts, his wanting to hear them, his overreaction and moving in crowds and their deafening him? His hearing Darcy's thoughts, as a person, her ideas, his taking them, making out as if she had thought of them and yet using them? His reaction to his daughter and her girlfriends, her boyfriend? Learning about his daughter, the prom dress, Darcy's advice? The encounters with Lola, their relationship, as regards sexuality, her dissatisfaction, the shock for him, change of behaviour, her satisfaction? His not being in contact with her? The people at the office, the older women and not being able to hear their thoughts? The younger women, Erin and her despair? His giving advice to the girl about going to Israel? His discovering that he had not promoted Erin, going to her flat, fearing that she had killed herself? His kindness towards her? The cumulative effect of hearing the comments of all the women?

8. His being commissioned to find what women want for clothes, for Nike? His having the beauty kit, dressing up at home, using the beauty products - and the harshness of tearing off the material from his legs? His going to the aerobic exercises? Listening to women, getting ideas, games, sports? The finale with his presentation of the campaign, the video of the woman running on the road, the nature of the road and its relationship to the woman? Darcy and her support, his having taken her ideas, altered her posters? Led Dan to sacking her?

9. Darcy, her ambitions, past relationships, being chosen instead of Nick? Trying to deal with him, her presuppositions? Finding him congenial, his voicing her ideas? Sharing the campaign, urging him to find out what women think? The date, the sympathy, the shared experiences? His decision not to go home with her? The next day, her support, her not speaking during the campaign? Her being fired, his trying to persuade Dan to take her back? His going to her apartment, telling the truth, her firing him - his explanation about making mistakes, her changing her mind, the happy ending?

10. Dan, the executive, advertising, employing Darcy, his reaction to Nick? The campaign, its urgency? Supporting Nick rather than Darcy? Being pleased with the final campaign, firing Darcy? Nick pleading with him to take her back?

11. The women in the office, the two older women and their talk, advice, Nick not being able to hear their thoughts? The younger women, the continued criticism of him as a chauvinist male? Erin and her feeling trodden down? The effect on Nick? His meeting other women, their flattering comments, their antagonistic comments? Listening to his ex-wife, listening to his daughter? The cumulative effect and a change in him?

12. Nick's ex-wife, the reason for her leaving, her relationship with their daughter? Her new relationship? The daughter, her age, carrying on with the boyfriend? Nick's getting rid of him? Her reaction, at home with the girls, their initial hostile reaction, his sympathy, offering to buy the prom dress, the makeover, their change of heart towards him? His going shopping with his daughter, the dresses and his comments? His forgetting the prom, finding her in the toilet, the importance of her speaking, the importance of her listening? His listening to her and his being able to be a different father?

13. Lola, the relationship, the encounters, sexuality, the change in Lola, the change in him - yet his falling in love with Darcy and neglecting Lola?

14. Darcy, her success, her deferring to Nick, her falling in love with him, her being fired, the justice of this and her accepting it, listening to Nick's explanation, her firing him, her showing him the apartment, the happy reconciliation?

15. The women's point of view in the critique of a men's world?