Mister D: The Divine Dutchies sent in this review of The Stepford Wives which I believe is scheduled to premiere Sept 2, 2004…
From the Veronica Magazine, number 34, 21 t/m 27 Augustus 2004
The Stepford Wives
Comedy with: Nicole Kidman, Matthew Broderick, Bette Midler
Direction: Frank Oz
In the theatres: 26 August (postponed til Sept 2, 2004)
Plot: Joanna falls in a deep hole of depression when she loses her high paying job. Her husband convinces her to move to Stepford, an ideal community for the extremely rich, where she can catch her breath in peace. But the women in Stepford are so perfect, something has to be wrong…
Maybe it’s a coincidence, but since Nicole Kidman got the divorce papers from Tom Cruise, she is making one depressive dramatic movie after another. With variable success: Cold Mountain was very okay and for The Hours she even got an Oscar, but Dogville and The Human Stain didn’t make us very happy, in more ways than one. It’s therefore very good that Nicole shows us in The Stepford Wives that she hasn’t lost her sense of humor.
When you have read the critical book by Ira Levin, or have seen the thriller from 1975, you will be surprised to see that this new version is predominantly humorous. Only at the finale the suspense heightens. That’s also the biggest mistake in the movie, because the unstable ending seems attached at the last moment. That is the truth: after a few disastrous test screenings a whole new ending had to be shot at record pace. That’s a pity, because The Stepford Wives begins very good and holds the light satirical tone. That is mostly because of the sharp, hilarious one-liners, but also because of the ‘wives’ themselves. Nicole Kidman shows again that she is one of the most versatile actresses of this moment. Also Bette Midler and Roger Bart are in superb shape as Nicole’s only friends between the creepy perfect housewives of Stepford, who are led by Glenn Close in a terrific supporting role.
***
Despite some technical errors very charming.
Meanwhile our little Randy Drew went out snooping, and found out that despite all earlier communication The Stepford Wives won’t be premiered until September 2nd. There will be no official ‘glamour’ premiere. She got this info by e-mailing UIP…Sara.
