My wife and I watched the movie "Women" on DVD last night. The subject matter is "on topic" and the way they treated an act of infidelity reminded me of a first post from a wayward or betrayed spouse and how as time passes they begin to "get-it".

It might be a tough watch for anyone but the recovered but I give it a thumbs up for the way it stumbled and bumbled until everyone finely got it right.

It's a bonified "chick-flick", but hey, I dig "chick-flicks".

Mr. G

I liked the movie also.

It doesn't do the usual: "He no longer loves you forget him ".

Good movie. And not far from MB principles.

9/10 for me.

It is not a good movie for the newly betrayed.

But I really liked how Meg Ryans mom described her feelings -

" It feels like someone kicked you in the stomach, feels like your heart stopped beating, feels like that dream you know the one when you are falling and you want so desperately to wake up before you hit the ground but its all out of your control, you cant trust anything anymore, no one is who they say they are, your life is changed forever, and the only thing to come out of the whole ugly experience is no one will be able to break your heart like that again."

The movie often times resembled stories right out of this forum. I like the humorous way they dealt with serious issues of infidelity. I liked the ending. Without giving anything away I can say that it was a Marriage Builder ending.

Every mistake is made but in the end they get it right. It really hit home for me.

Mr. G

Meg Ryan’s mom played flawlessly by Candice Bergin.

It made my blood run cold with memories from my own past.

You are spot on when you note that this movie is not for recent arrivals.

Mr. G

I saw the original B&W on TV once; it was amazing. I wondered how closely the remake stuck to the original. Haven't seen the new one yet.

By the way, I was recently betrayed when I watched it. Hurt a lot but I couldn't look away.

The 1939 original is a classic but their treatment of infidelity fails miserably when compared to how the dynamics of real world infidelity actually plays out. This updated version is fresher and truer although the casting and performances in the original are without equal. While the original is a superior movie, this remake is a superior story, more believable overall with some regrettable over the top acting, especially by Eva Mendes (the femme fatal and adulterous) and Debra Messing (an obnoxious baby factory who can’t wait to be pregnant again). The rest of the performances are adequate to good with special thumbs up to Cloris Leachman (housekeeper of the betrayed) and Candice Bergen (mom of the betrayed) in their supporting roles.

Hollywood has NEVER been true to devastation that adultery and divorce leave in their wake. With infidelity they always paint a glamorous endeavor where one spouse rises above oppression to meet their true soul mate or as a catastrophic event where one spouse exacts tasty revenge and smiles all the way to the bank. Hollywood’s treatment of divorce is no less ridiculous. Mom and Dad divorce and somehow in the new family everyone comes up roses. In the real world there is nothing but casualties and nowhere is that more true than with the children that are left behind. Recovery from divorce takes years, not days and almost always one spouse is left nearly destroyed.

This movie takes you to the very edge of that abyss and then…Well, I suppose you will just have to see it yourself. But the best part of the remake is their treatment of infidelity and how it reaches beyond just the basic participants. It is satisfying to see that they respond much the same way that we do in these forums, mistakes included.

7/10 stars

Mr. G

Getting ready to watch it On Demand in about 15 minutes. Will come back and let you know what I think.

I watched it when it first came out and I enjoyed it immensely! I have to agree that it is NOT a movie that a newly betrayed spouse would want to watch. I saw it not long after R began and it was hard...very, very hard.

I liked the movie a lot, but I don't think they really did a good job of letting the pain show through. It definitely was an MB kind of plan though - let the BS concentrate on themselves while the WS and AP get a good dose of reality by spending time together. And, they always affair down - even in the movies....

Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

You need to be well along in recovery to watch this kind of movie. It is a dramady that will play like a horror flick unless you are recovered or nearly recovery.

Mr. G

That kind of pain can never be shown nor really explained, it can only be experienced. If you could make others feel it, the job of restoring marriages from infidelity would be much, much easier.

Mr. G

because .... this movie is, in actuality, a comedy
not unlike The Wedding Singer.... another pain-based comedy

We went to see The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button yesterday .... It's very long, just under 3 hours .... but MAN! It leaves your head so full of "stuff".... I don't quite know what to say ..... It was pretty amazing.

It has obviously affected you, but how so?

I found the movie really disappointing but I did watch it on a poor DVD copy so I don't suppose that helped. (not something I make a habit of - much prefer the big screen with a box of nachos).

Let me reflect on it longer .... I'll post when things become clear to me. It is very emotional. It is about love, redemption, loss ....

I removed my threadjack - and posted my thoughts about this other movie on Other Topics forum.