Campy stereotypes just right in ‘Stepford’

Since Reel Critics reviewers see movies after they are released to

the public, the general trend of the national reviews is known

beforehand. To be impartial, a Reel Critic cannot allow their opinion

to be influenced by these critics.

Nonetheless, I was aware an overwhelming majority of national film

critics gave negative reviews to “The Stepford Wives” before I saw it

this past weekend. Given this information, and the fact that

“Stepford Wives” is a remake of an unintentionally funny 1975 camp

classic of the same name, my expectations were understandably low.

Despite the foregoing, usually dependable warning signals, “The

Stepford Wives” is a hugely entertaining film with a wonderful visual

style, fantastic sets and venues and great comedic performances by a

talented cast.

The familiar story features Nicole Kidman as high-powered network

television executive Joanna Eberhard, who suffers a complete nervous

breakdown after one of the victims of a particularly cruel reality

show named “I Can Do Better” flips out and kills his wife and her new

lovers ). Joanna’s nebbish husband Walter (Matthew Broderick) quits

his low-level job at the network and moves the whole family to the

idyllic town of Stepford, Conn.

Stepford is an eerily beautiful gated community with gorgeous

mini-mansions galore set in wooded, verdant green rolling hills.

However, Joanna can’t seem to fit in, as the wives of Stepford are

all brainless sex kittens who always wear pastel or floral print

dresses and high heels, even when they play golf or do aerobics.

Leading this contingent is a combination June Cleaver/Martha Stewart

named Claire Wellington (Glenn Close). Joanna finds some solace with

counterculture author and inveterate slob Bobbie Markowitz (Bette

Midler) and the flamboyant sole gay resident of Stepford, Roger

Bannister (Roger Bart).

The men of Stepford are decidedly nerdy and spend all of their

spare time at the Stepford Men’s Assn., a somewhat swanky club with a

parking lot full of boys’ toys such as Ferraris, Corvettes and 1960s

muscle cars. The leader of the men of Stepford is creepy Mike

Wellington, played by Christopher Walken; one of those actors along

with Steve Buscemi who immediately alerts the audience that evil is

afoot.

It soon becomes apparent there is something very unnatural about

the women of Stepford, especially when Bobbie and Roger emerge from

the Stepford cookie cutter virtually unrecognizable. If you are

familiar with the 1975 movie, you already know the secret. While I

won’t reveal it here to the uninitiated, I will say the “hook” makes

no scientific or logical sense. If you can’t make that kind of leap

of faith, I suggest you go to another movie.

“The Stepford Wives” plays everything for laughs and doesn’t try

to be anything it is not. The performances are all superb, just what

you would expect from a cast that among them has numerous Academy

Award nominations, two Oscars, two Tony Awards, several Golden

Globes, not to mention a few Grammys between them. Everyone plays

their part with great energy complete with scenery-chewing excess,

just what’s called for in this type of film.

Anyone who is a fan of such 1950s sitcoms as “Leave It To Beaver”

and “Father Knows Best” will appreciate the campy look of Stepford

and all its inhabitants. The tone is set right from the amusing

opening credits featuring actual period commercial footage clear

through to the final frame.

“The Stepford Wives” is a broad satire of women’s roles in the

mid-20th century. While we can look upon them from a distance now

with some humor, the film clearly makes the point of how limiting

these expectations were. “Stepford” is a humorous look at what were

actually damaging stereotypes, hopefully never to return.

* VAN NOVACK is the director of institutional research at Cal

State Long Beach and lives in Huntington Beach with his wife

Elizabeth.

‘Helen’ a little too real, ordinary

Helen’s life abruptly changes from being a fun loving and

successful fashion executive to an overworked, underpaid single

parent to her nieces and nephew. The main story line of “Raising

Helen” follows her personal defeats and triumphs adjusting to her

dramatic change of life.

While Helen (Kate Hudson) quickly adapts to new living and working

arrangements, she is completely unable to dish out the discipline the

kids need in order to grow up as well-adjusted human beings.

As the single sister of two married sisters with children, Helen

is used to being the fun aunt, the life of the party and the one to

get into mischief with. She finds it difficult to set down ground

rules and then enforce them. Helen also has difficulty sacrificing

all of her “me” time. In addition, Helen’s surviving sister, Jenny,

makes her life one step away from being a living hell. All right,

that last part may be a slight exaggeration, but only slightly.

Big sister Jenny (Joan Cusack) takes every opportunity to

criticize Helen when she’s done something wrong with the kids. Jenny

constantly berates Helen for her lack of parental skills, especially

where it involves the teenage niece. She carries some kind of a

grudge against Helen from way back in their past, which until it’s

resolved, Jenny will continue being mean and spiteful to Helen.

“Raising Helen” is a hit-and-miss comedy by director Garry

Marshall (“Pretty Woman,” “Princess Diaries”) because it mixes in a

few funny moments with unfunny subject matter: single parents

supporting children working minimum wage jobs. The humor largely

comes from predicaments the characters find themselves in. For

example, one funny moment comes from watching a neighboring mom clear

out a room full of teenagers. Pastor Dan (John Corbett of “My Big Fat

Greek Wedding”), principal of the kids’ school, also brings welcome

comic relief along with being the only source of moral support Helen

can depend on.

The actors are a pleasure to watch, but the story itself, with its

everyday family problems, is too much of a reality to be able to

relax and enjoy. Raising Helen never rises above the ordinary, so

wait for the DVD to come out, which should be soon.

* PEGGY J. ROGERS produces commercial videos and documentaries.