3 Black Chicks
No one plays mean as Bette Midler
January 1, 2000
The Digest
This story takes place in Verplank, a small town in upstate New York. Verplanck is the test market for the Yugo. The fact that everyone, including the police chief, drives a Yugo with vanity plates is comedy in and of itself.
Mona Dearly (Bette Midler) is not exactly what you would call a “people person,” so no one misses her when her Yugo loses its brakes and drives into the river. It is ruled as an accidental death until, upon further investigation, it is determined that the brake lines were cut. Now, there is a murder investigation, but the problem is that the list of suspects equals about half of the town.
As Chief Wyatt Rash (Danny Devito) begins his investigation, we learn how mean Mona is through flashbacks. Each person tells of how Mona abused them and how they aren’t sad to see her go. So unmoved by her death, the people of Verplanck don’t even attend her funeral. After seeing Mona’s antics, I hardly blame them for not attending the funeral.
The Dish
Okay, this movie cracked me up. It’s not a rolling-in-the-aisles-holding-your-gut type of movie, but it is amusing.
Eventually, the circle of suspects gets smaller, and that’s when the movie becomes wackier… and, unfortunately, pretty predictable. It came as no surprise when the killer was revealed. I don’t think the filmmaker cared that it was predictable., I certainly didn’t care. Let’s be honest: this movie was not made to be another “Usual Suspects” (hands down the most superb whodunit of all times). One person stood out for me, and that person was Ellen Rash (Neve Campbell). Ellen is the daughter of the police chief and fiancée of Bobby Calzone (Casey Affleck). Bobby is Mona’s son’s business partner, and he is also a suspect. Whew! Anyway, it was hilarious watching Ellen meltdown. All she wants is her wedding, and to hell with the fact that people are dying around her.
The Directive
Don’t see this movie if you expect an intelligent comedy or a murder mystery that makes you think you will be disappointed. If you want to “vege out” and laugh at some mindless comedy, then check out this movie.
