September 21, 1996 -- It doesn't seem to me that Hollywood makes very many funny movies anymore. They try, but fail more often than not. "First Wives Club" is one of those rare successes.

This very funny comedy comes loaded with talent and loaded with laughs. My wife and I went to see it Saturday night with a big crowd at the Fox. We weren't the only ones laughing at this movie.

The story is about three baby boom aged wives who are dumped by their husbands for younger women and how they get revenge. It's a great idea for a movie and it is well-executed. The three wives are Elise Elliot Atchison (Goldie Hawn), Brenda Morelli Cushman (Bette Midler) and Annie MacDuggan Paradise (Diane Keaton).

It is a wonderful job of ensemble acting. They handle everything from hysteria to physical comedy to emotional distress in wide-ranging performances.

The first three-quarters of the film are very well set up. The story flows smoothly as the wives scheme to get even with their ex-husbands and get some respect for themselves at the same time. The last quarter of the film, however falls a little flat. It just doesn't seem to know where, or how to end.

All in all, however, it is a good, solid comedy, with intelligent writing by Robert Harling and sharp direction by Hugh Wilson. After suffering through many ho-hum comedies, this is a treat. It rates a B+.

Click here for links to places to buy this movie in video and/or DVD format, the soundtrack, books, even used videos, games and lots of other stuff. I suggest you shop at least two of these places before buying anything. Prices seem to vary continuously. For more information on this film, click on this link to The Internet Movie Database. Type in the name of the movie in the search box and press enter. You will be able to find background information on the film, the actors, and links to much more information.

Copyright © 1996 Robert Roten. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.