Review of What Women Want on Filmviews.net
Year2000 ReviewerChris Docker
The critics have, in my opinion, been unduly unkind to this Mel Gibson comedy about a macho man advertising executive who suddenly, by a freak accident, can hear women's thoughts. Predictably, this makes him into the ideal "new man." The movie is utterly predictable, even down to the exact lines of dialogue used (towards the end I was guessing the next line with my friend by whispering quietly to each other the "next line" - which was quite easy.) Having said that, I enjoyed it immensely, as have most people I know who have been to see it. Gibson plays the comic well, has almost learnt to dance, has absolutely know chemistry with his opposite number (Helen Hunt), but this is straightforward entertainment, accurately contrasting the extremes of how men and women think differently and playing the audience for laughs. Believable? No. Good light-hearted entertainment that doesn't take itself seriously? Yes! The addition of a competent song-and-dance routine probably would have earned it very minor classic status rather than just popular fun.
Rating: 6/10;