The Women (2008)
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A wealthy woman's life is upended by her husband's infidelity, leading her and her circle of friends to reevaluate their identities.
The story
Clothing designer Mary Haines lives a seemingly perfect life in a suburban Connecticut home with her wealthy husband and daughter. However, her world is shaken when she learns of her husband's affair with a perfume salesgirl. After confronting him and seeking a divorce, Mary finds herself supported by her close circle of friends. As she navigates the fallout of her marriage, she must navigate the complexities of her relationships with her friends, who are also dealing with their own challenges, while she attempts to rebuild her career and personal life in the wake of the betrayal.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Mary Haines, a clothing designer, discovers her husband Stephen's affair with a woman named Crystal. After confronting him and seeking a divorce, Mary's friends—Sylvie, Edie, and Alex—rally to support her. Complications arise when Sylvie, facing job loss, collaborates with a gossip columnist, leading to a rift between her and Mary. As Mary's daughter becomes distant, Mary is fired by her father but eventually finds the strength to launch her own clothing line. She eventually reconciles with Sylvie and prepares for a major fashion show. The film concludes with the women celebrating their shared experiences and triumphs as a group, while hints are given about the future of the other characters, including Crystal's potential new relationship.
- First release year
- 2008
- Runtime (minutes)
- 114
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Diane English
- Writers
- Diane English · writer
- Cast and characters
- Meg Ryan · Mary Haines; Annette Bening · Sylvie Fowler; Eva Mendes · Crystal; Debra Messing · Edie Cohen; Jada Pinkett Smith · Catherine; Carrie Fisher · Alex Fisher; Cloris Leachman · Tanya; Debi Mazar · Bailey Smith; Bette Midler · none; Candice Bergen · none
- Genres
- comedy-drama
- Themes
- female friendship; self-realization
- Tone and mood
- melodramatic
- Premise and plot tags
- all-female cast; remake
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1936 play by Clare Boothe Luce
- Content notes
- pregnancy
- Reception
- The film was widely panned by critics for lacking the wit and charm of the original, though some praised its craftsmanship. It received a significant negative response from critics, with a 13% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 27 out of 100 score on Metacritic.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 3.9/10 · scale: 10 · review count: 147
- Awards and nominations
- Best Actress · ALMA Awards · 11th · nomination; Worst Actress · Razzie Award · nomination
- Production trivia
- No men appear on screen except for a baby in the final scene.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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