Arts & Entertainment
 

'Wives' tale makes comedic comeback

Adaptation trades horror for humor

By Amy Perez
The Daily Cougar

After career woman Joanna Eberhard (Nicole Kidman) is unexpectedly fired from her position as top dog of a popular television network, her husband, Walter (Matthew Broderick), decides the best thing for his wife and kids is to pack up and recover in the cozy suburb of Stepford, Conn. The couple from Manhattan immediately discovers that behind the picturesque exterior of Stepford is a community of seemingly perfect housewives and their counterparts. The Stepford Wives is a modern-day take on the 1975 thriller based on the novel by Ira Levin, the author of Rosemary's Baby.

One major difference between the sci-fi thriller of the 1970s and this remake is the emphasis on comedy rather than horror. Before she was fired, Eberhard created reality TV shows like I Can Do Better! in which female contestants were given the choice of staying with their husbands after a secluded tropical island getaway, or choosing to do better with their newfound Amazonian lovers. The movie is full of this humor, which questions and pokes fun at typical gender roles.

An ensemble of actors brings several unique elements to the film. Playing the strung-out, recovering alcoholic writer Bobbie Markowitz is longtime entertainer Bette Midler, who transforms flawlessly from trashy slob to obedient housewife. Glenn Close portrays welcome-wagon lady and town socialite Claire Wellington with determined poise, and Christopher Walken brings his ever-creepy presence to the character of Claire's husband Mike. Tackling the role of Sarah Sunderson is none other than country songbird Faith Hill, whose novice acting approach and wide vocal range lend an experimental quality to the movie.

Kidman and Broderick share an intimate chemistry as a married couple struggling to rekindle their love while adjusting to their new suburban home. Broderick carries a boyish quality in his voice throughout much of his dialogue, which aptly accentuates Kidman's self-driven attitude. The couple's problems alone drive home the idea that if men had it their way, the only things at which women would excel would be lovemaking and housework.

Humor and acting aside, casual moviegoers may be disappointed with the film's pacing, which often foreshadows upcoming events either too early or too obviously. Kidman's character often judges others immediately, without the rational consideration of the high-profile businesswoman she was. And clearly, there is something suspect about the behavior of the women in Stepford, but was it necessary for the characters to treat the Stepford Men's Association like a mysterious haunted house?

The Stepford Wives is almost entirely predictable, especially for fans of the book, as some of the dialogue is taken verbatim from the novel. But for young college students new to the idea of things going awry when a town is filled with husband-serving sex kittens, the movie is as entertaining as it is clever.

The Stepford Wives

Paramount Pictures

Starring: Nicole Kidman, Matthew Broderick

Rated: PG-13

The verdict: A predictable remake is redeemed by humor.
 
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