Don’t be fooled – these women aren’t empowered

“The Women” is a confusing comedy-drama that delivers some of the funniest and most poignant moments I’ve had in a theater all summer, but also some of the most confusing.

It’s tempting to wonder if this film shouldn’t have stayed in 1939, where its lukewarm take on female empowerment would’ve seemed much more revolutionary and much less disappointing.

Mary Haines (Meg Ryan) is a New York fashion designer whose husband Stephen has been getting sex on the side from “spritzer girl” Crystal (Eva Mendes). When Mary’s best friend Sylvia (Annette Bening) discovers this juicy gossip from a manicurist, she tries her best to hide the secret, but soon it’s out and everyone is offering Mary advice on how to cope.

Sadly, in tackling the dynamics of infidelity, the movie focuses much more on demonizing and slut-shaming the sultry Crystal and hardly any time ripping into the one who actually committed the immoral act: Mr. Haines.

We never even get to see him throughout the whole movie; his character is only confronted through gossip and one-sided phone calls, which is disappointing for us movie-goers who wanted to see Mr. Haines thoroughly ripped apart for allowing his stray dick to get the better of him.

With an all-star cast that also included Jada Pinkett Smith, Debra Messing, Bette Midler, Carrie Fisher and Candice Bergen (who plays Mary’s mother and gives her some of the most sexist advice I’ve ever heard) it was impossible that the acting would be less than superb, and I was not disappointed.

The actresses pulled the movie up when some of the themes and jokes fell flat, and the affection that the women had for each other seemed truly authentic.

Though there were only a few times when I laughed raucously, the rest of the audience seemed to be having a much better time, so perhaps I was just too miffed at the subtle sexism to enjoy myself thoroughly.

Indeed, Mary ends up hurting her daughter and pining for her husband when she refuses to turn the other cheek to the wrongs he’s committed. And that’s supposed to be empowering?