The Misadventures of Margaret (1998) User Reviews

Awful Film and Characters

[claudio_carvalho · 2/10 · 9 August 2016]

"The Misadventures of Margaret" is a film with a good cast. The names of Parker Posey, Elizabeth McGovern, Brooke Shields, Jeremy Northam and Corbin Bernsen give the expectation of an entertaining romantic comedy. Unfortunately the story and the characters are awful. Parker Posey performs an insecure and unbalanced woman and successful writer that wants to cheat her husband to write an erotic novel. Her agent (Craig Chester) is gay and her adviser. Her sister (Elizabeth McGovern) simply decides to leave her husband (Corbin Bernsen), who is a womanizer and unfaithful to her, to live with her lesbian friend (Brooke Shields). Only Jeremy Northam's character is not dysfunctional; he is a cult British professor that works hard and faithful husband still in love with his wife after a seven-year marriage. And in the corrupt universe of these characters, he seems to be wrong and guilty for the promiscuity of his wife. Gay audience will probably enjoy the free frontal nudity of men in several scenes. My vote is two.

Title (Brazil): "Nem Todas as Mulheres São Iguais" ("Not Every Women Are Equal")

A wonderful literary romp

[sphinxvictorian · 7/10 · 12 April 2002]

This is such a weird little film, with a very twisted heroine, but after the first few minutes of the film one finds oneself falling for her lock, stock and barrel. I like the literary references that fall from characters' lips like diamonds. I also think that it is one of Jeremy Northam's most wonderful performances. He doesn't get a huge amount to do, but what he does do is so subtle and nuanced, it's a joy (as usual) to watch. Parker Posey is like a young Kate Hepburn, whirling her way through an insane but sexually charged plot. Or perhaps she's more like Carole Lombard in My Man Godfrey, just completely nuts.

It does fall down in places during the first eighteenth century bits, but then the joke there becomes clear, as well as the significance it holds. I haven't read the novel but hope to get my hands on it. It sounds such fun.

I do wish I could own this film, to complete my Jeremy Northam collection. I also wish the soundtrack were available, because the music is quite charming.

I do like the cheerful slightly confused sexuality portrayed by both the heroine and her eighteenth century counterpart, it's quite refreshing to see the subject treated so matter-of-factly.

Rent this film, it's a lot of fun!

I really like this film but the soundtrack is the real treat!

[tika69 · 7/10 · 29 June 2005]

While not the best movie, it was certainly enjoyable to watch. sadly, i have only seen (and own!) the American DVD which is twenty minutes shorter with most of the nudity edited out. and who couldn't use a little more nudity featuring Jeremy Northam? Hmmmm... Jeremy Northam.... but i digress. the best part of the movie is the soundtrack! performed oh so perfectly by Saint Etienne. they even released it (only in Japan) as "The Misadventures Of Saint Etienne". since the film didn't really do very well box office-wise, the cd was made in very limited quantities and went out of print quickly. i wish more of it was used in the film as it's barely heard.

Harks back to Manhattan comedies of yesteryear!

[James-66 · 9/10 · 1 December 1998]

Saw at LFF - very good indeed.

Go and see for Brooke Shields; she is a riot as a lesbian femme fatale!

Parker is a bit irritating, but beautiful!

Good film.

Not as bad as everyone says

[sphinxvictorian · 7/10 · 24 June 2004]

Sure there are moments of real silly plot, and of over the top acting, but there is much charm in this small film, and a large part of it comes from the performance by Jeremy Northam as Edward Nathan. He balances Parker Posey's wildness, and transforms their all-too-brief scenes into sweet and touching romance. I also like Parker Posey in this film, her unabashed enthusiasm bubbles over and makes her character come to life. Perhaps not the most believable writer ever, she does come across as an interesting person.

I love this film mostly for the performances by Jeremy Northam and Parker Posey, and the dry little throwaway performance of the gay best friend. Not a great film, but not a real turkey either.

An absolute gem of a movie!

[Countess-2 · 10/10 · 29 October 2001]

I first saw this movie at a screen room with Brian Skeet, Ian Benson, Craig Chester, Brooke Shields and fellow guest Illeana Douglas. I expected it to be entertaining. Even I was agog at how much and how hard I laughed throughout the entire film. (Afterwards Brian and Ian jokingly asked me to attend all future screenings.)

This movie is an absolute gem. It has a little bit of everything without having too much of anything. To me, this is Parker Posey's ultimate role. She shines through the character of Margaret, perhaps because they're not so dissimilar. I found it impossible to take my eyes away from her whenever she was on camera. Craig Chester was given a fairly good role and infused it with enough self-mocking humor to make this a standout performance. Brooke Shields? Although not on screen nearly enough, her character of Lily was so out of her usual screen roles and yet she carries it off with such eclat that one almost wishes for a sequel. The Lackidasicals of Lily?

Elizabeth McGovern was perfect casting as Margaret's sister and she plays off of both Brooke and Parker seamlessly. Even Corbin Bernsen, an actor I don't follow, was lovable in his jerkiness and distinctly memorable.

I just re-watched this film on video, where it runs a pert 86 minutes. At the screening, it was at least a half-hour longer. Interestingly, all the things I remembered from the film the first time were there the second viewing. Which means that evidently the editors and the director took out the extraneous and make this movie a perfect length.

Oh. Have I mentioned that I liked "The Misadventures of Margaret"?

Quirky look at the love life of the literati.

[Jmariehawkins · 10/10 · 26 August 2001]

I went into this movie not liking Parker Posey, and left not minding her at all. Her performance as the quirky, impulsive, obsessive compulsive Margaret is nothing short of unforgettable. Her childish, rebelious nature works well with Jeremy Northam's studied maturity. They play off of each other fabulously well. In short, a very satisfying film.

Cracklins

[tedg · 1 April 2002]

Spoilers herein.

Rich potential: New York a la Woody; writer creating her own life; snappy dialog; sex as philosophy, set in a `perils of Pauline' context with anachronisms as a running joke. But the New York wasn't bookish and chic enough. It failed like the recent `Great Expectations.' The attempt at snappy dialog was energetic, but the cadence was all wrong, and that makes up for even the grandest stretch in the words. `An Ideal Husband,' is the recent example of perfection of this art.

The problem isn't Parker. It's the director.

I'm particularly attracted to films that fold reality in themselves: plots where the story involves its own creation. These abound in several forms, and some indie films have actually explored new territory recently (`eXistenZ,' `Memento,' and `Mulholland Drive' come to mind.) But this offers nothing new, so it is doomed to be compared to other examples of the same.

Parker is a conundrum. I think she has a good instrument, rather flexible. I've seen her in 11 of her 37 listed film projects, which I think is comparatively high given the poor circulation of many. Never brilliant, she's been adequate and varied. I think she would have been up to this if she were directed to be less frantic and unappealing. And if the director knew how to clip the dialog like Jennifer Leigh in `Hudsucker,' or James Woods in `True Crime,' or Robert DuVall in `The Paper.'

Born to be good

[urnotdb · 8/10 · 24 March 2005]

Parker Posey very good, as usual, appearing, as usual, in a unique, funny, provocative, offbeat story. Margaret's reality rarely meets her expectations (she's a novelist). In love and monogamous, jealousy drives her to seek an affair. Of course she finds this more complicated than she expected. Margaret's monogamy is ironic given her enormous likability. Maybe that's what makes her so likable. She doesn't settle for what she's offered; she strives for what she wants. Parker Posey's performance can be compared with her equally powerful performance in "Personal Velocity," a more realistic look at infidelity. Very good dialogue; reminiscent of the "screwball" comedy genre, or something from the more "mature" Woody Allen. So not meant to be realistic, although I have known a few people like these. I really liked it.

Odd little mess of a movie....

[stevo3098 · 7 April 2002]

I love Parker Posey's movies, but this one was horrible. The dialogue was strangely paced, Parker's character had absolutely no depth or reason to care about her, the tension of the fidelity issues between her and her husband was played out entirely wrong.

The whole film had a navel-gazing stupor to it, with only a few characters seemingly able to rise above it's silliness. Parker's husband, and her gay editor are the two people who perform their roles with any kind of natural behavior. Kudos also to Brooke Shields, in a minor role with some funny moments.

All in all, however, this movie left me cold. The plot was slow, and culminated in an entirely unbelievable scene between Parker and her husband. The dialogue was delivered far too quickly and not enough was said to make you identify with anyone. The editing was also odd: a character would be in New York in one frame, then Paris in another with nothing to let you know why.

If you want to see Parker in a better light, watch The House of Yes or The Anniversary Party. Avoid this movie at all costs.

A pleasant hour and a half.

[maeander · 9/10 · 24 January 2002]

There is nothing new about a film where a happily married couple split up; not because they don't love each other, but because of the crazy friends/circumstances who surround them.

Every decade there are at least 2 dozen such films. "His Girl Friday" and "The Last Married Couple In America" come to mind. And truthfully, there is nothing is this screenplay that makes this film special. It is, however, saved by a throughly delightful cast and a director who was not too heavy on the schmaltz; although the kooky does get to be a bit much. If you interested in a pleasant diversion, you could to worse than see this film.

CRAP!

[theteeto · 3 September 2002]

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** My word, this was one horrid little flick. I figured, with Posey and Northam, this might be pretty good. Wrong! Maggie's misadventures are completely of her own doing, and she is the single most unsympathetic character I've seen in quite some time. ***SPOILERS*** Posey meets Northam in Paris, sleeps with him, and then discovers the next day that he's English (oops! She really wanted a Frenchman). So, of course, they decide to get married for some reason. Then, the movie jumps ahead 7 years for some reason, perhaps because the makers felt it would be impossible to develop these characters in any way, as just a few minutes in, you already are asking, "WTF?". While Margaret is a complete psycho, and her husband seems to be the only thing holding her together, she decides she must cheat on him. We're never given any reasons why, unfortunately, but hey, why bother with little details like that? She runs off to France, gets drunk, and tries to bone a Frenchman, but he just puts her to bed--she's furious! Why kind of frog doesn't want to sleep with the crazy married drunk American he just met? She also tries to seduce her dentist, her sister's girlfriend, and the Frenchman yet again, for reasons unknown, failing every time. So, she tries the dentist again, with success! But now, she's still unhappy (poor dear--perhaps her podiatrist would have solved her problems). She then runs to France again, where her husband (inexplicably) woos her back. THE END. This movie had no character development, no common sense, no one to like, and no reason to exist. The pretentious flashbacks to lovers in jolly Olde England were particularly wretched. The only redeeming quality about this film was seeing Posey's bare breasts for a solid 30 seconds.

Very Touching

[jessica-hamm · 10/10 · 9 August 2002]

Great film that has the wonderful ability to be both very funny and very touching. The acting by the main characters really allows the viewer to see into their relationship. The supporting characters add depth to an already deep relationship and help the view to understand why the two characters act as they do. I would recommend it to anyone.

At last, I can stand to watch a movie my mom likes, too!

[cor_seed · 17 June 2000]

My mom and I were going through the channels, and were about to resort to our well-worn video collection when we stumbled upon a nameless film with a young woman yelling at a man. My first impression was "Hey, that's Parker Posey!", and so began our little adventure viewing (most of) The Misadventures of Margaret. I've seen a few "chick flicks" in my time, although most leave me cold. When I use the too common term, I'm talking about anything that involves two of the three: 1) a love-centered plot line, 2) a woman striving for harmony with her inner self, 3) accurate, almost overly-done period piece costumes. A slight warning to those who aren't inclined to give this film a fair shot: it has all three in abundance.

However, the film also has some of the best acting I've seen out of Ms. Posey, great characters along with the title one (especially Elisabeth McGovern as Margaret's sister, and a disturbing pseudo-cameo by Alexis Denisof, who I'd only ever seen as Wesley on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. It's almost disturbing to see him play a sex symbol--not that I minded!), and some of the most entertaining women-centered writing I've heard in *any* flick (chick or otherwise) in a very long time. Women-centered in that it manages to make the characters sound like modern women without turning them into cynical harpies or caricatures of the feminist movement (or, worse, icons of a "better" set of values, when a woman's heart is only as full as her husband's stomach.) I'm starting to think that Mystic Pizza is going to have to share my title for Best Girlie Film. ;)

It's a misadventure

[Gordon-11 · 26 February 2011]

This film is about an author who tries to write a follow up to her successful erotic novel debut. In the process of her research, she begins to question her marriage.

"The Misadventures of Margaret" tries to be an erotic romantic comedy, but it does not achieve either way. The production is B grade, looking more like a movie with a very tight budget. The plot is a little strange, jumping from fantasy and reality. Some of the fantasy scenes are laughable, and it's not a good thing. Most scenes are not that memorable either. I think "The Misadventures of Margaret" is a miss, despite a great cast.

Just as fun as Sex in the City

[dtengstrom · 15 December 2004]

This is a fun romp, not unlike the exploits on Sex in the City. But not being a fan of that particular show, I found Parker Posey to be endearing and hilarious, unlike Sarah Jessica Parker. Some of Posey's line deliveries made me literally crack up. She carries the film throughout, and it is her charismatic frivolity that makes the film such a treat. Not unlike her turns in the Christopher Guest films like Best in Show, she turns a character on her head and takes her for a ride. Yet Margaret's sexual awakening is definitely a relatable misadventure, and Posey takes you with her on her journey, creating a character you'd actually want to get to know.

Too bad it's not that well known because this is an enjoyable little film.