Gibson Earns His Keep With ‘What Women Want’

2000 was very good to Mel Gibson. He received approximately $25 million per picture for his services, and judging from the success of his projects from last year, one can see why. All three of the films in which he worked — The Patriot, Chicken Run and What Women Want — landed among the top 20 of the year’s highest-grossing movies, and each went over the magical $100 million mark. The most recent of this troika, What Women Want, is now playing and currently one of the top five most popular movies in the country even after a full month in release. Cast Away has received more copy as a “one-man movie,” but few recent films have coasted so breezily on the charm of its leading man as much as this film glides engagingly along upon the charisma of Gibson.

Gibson stars as Nick Marshall, a Chicago ad exec described in the film’s opening monologue (voiced by Lauren Holly, playing his ex-wife) as a real “man’s man,” the kind other guys want to be and think women want to have. He’s quick with a randy line, slow to think about anyone other than himself, and prone to calling women “Babe.” He’s soaring above the clouds at the beginning of the film, awaiting a plum promotion from his boss (Alan Alda), but he comes crashing to earth when word arrives that his company has decided it needs a more progressive perspective and thus goes outside the company to hire Darcy Maguire (Helen Hunt), a female ad exec chosen to lead in grand new directions. Nick is none too pleased, to put it lightly.

His mood worsens when, after a freak accident, he awakens to find that he can hear women’s thoughts. Their every opinion, doubt, hostility, joy, indignation, desire and secret comes crashing into his head, bombarding him at every turn whenever he passes by someone of the opposite sex. Nick is initially distressed at this turn of events, overwhelmed by the flood of attitudes and notions of which he previously had little clue, especially the critical jabs females internally take at him and their low opinion of his retro-chauvinist ways. He’s at wit’s end until a psychiatrist (a funny Bette Midler cameo) gives him the bright idea of the advantage his newfound talent can give him: imagine all the things a man could do (and be sure not to do) if he could read women’s minds... he could rule the world!

Gibson has an absolute blast in this role and runs with the film’s clever premise. He develops a nice chemistry with Hunt as he begins to use his powers to his sneaky advantage, slyly using her thoughts to establish a working rapport with his new boss. Nick also begins to warm up what had previously been a chilly relationship with his savvy teenage daughter (Ashley Johnson), and also finds a moment for a romantic interlude with a budding actress-waitress (Marisa Tomei) that turns hysterically funny when his abilities give him new insights in the bedroom. In each case, Gibson works wonderfully with his co-stars and gets to showcase his assured abilities without the benefit of his usual action-hero, Mad Max antics.

Credit should also be given director Nancy Meyers, who guides the film with a steady hand and gives it just the right sensibility that avoids becoming too crass or too sappy. For my money, this veteran writer-director (Private Benjamin, Father of the Bride, The Parent Trap) has a bit of an edge on the more recognized queen of the modern romantic comedy, Nora Ephron (Sleepless in Seattle, You’ve Got Mail).

 For instance, Meyers works in some choice pop standards from Sinatra and the like (an Ephron trademark), but actually gives us a logical reason why they should be in the movie, unlike Ephron, who always seems to be a bit more manipulative in her choices.

What Women Want, rated PG-13, for some sexual content and frank language, has a bit of an edge, but is ultimately a sweet-natured comedy with a few thoughtful nuggets on which to ponder. Overall, it’s a satisfying, entertaining entry that should leave every moviegoer, not just women, feeling that they got what they wanted... their money’s worth.