The Women (2008/I)

User Rating:

4.4/10   

Director:

Diane English

Writers (WGA):

Diane English (screenplay)
Clare Boothe Luce (play)
(more)

Release Date:

12 September 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

It's all about...

Plot:

A wealthy New Yorker leaves her cheating husband and bonds with other society women at a resort.

Plot Keywords:

Female Bonding | Remake | Product Placement | New York City | Friendship Between Women

US Showtimes:

(register to personalize)

Cast

Meg Ryan	...	Mary Haines
Annette Bening	...	Sylvia Fowler
Eva Mendes	...	Crystal Allen
Debra Messing	...	Edie Cohen
Jada Pinkett Smith	...	Alex Fisher
Bette Midler	...	Leah Miller
Candice Bergen	...	Catherine Frazier
Carrie Fisher	...	Bailey Smith
Cloris Leachman	...	Maggie
Debi Mazar	...	Tanya
India Ennenga	...	Molly Haines
Natasha Alam	...	Natasha
Ana Gasteyer	...	Pat
Joanna Gleason	...	Barbara Delacorte
Tilly Scott Pedersen	...	Uta
Lynn Whitfield	...	Glenda Hill
Jill Flint	...	Annie
Emily Seymour	...	April Cohen
Allison Seymour	...	April Cohen
Lauren Lefebvre	...	May Cohen
Lindsay Lefebvre	...	May Cohen
Isabella Panteledes	...	June Cohen
Olivia Panteledes	...	June Cohen
Madaliene Black	...	January Cohen
Meredith Black	...	January Cohen
Jana Robbins	...	Lingerie Sales Woman
Maya Ri Sanchez	...	Dora
Ruby Hondros	...	Jimmy Choo Wearer
NiCole Robinson	...	Makeover Lady
Danielle Perry	...	Salon Assistant
Lindsay Flathers	...	Taylor
Christy Scott Cashman	...	Jean
Celeste Oliva	...	Gilda
Denece Ryland	...	Cory
Allyssa Maurice	...	Sweet Woman
Jordan Schechter	...	Ashley
Marina Re	...	Helene
Stephanie Clayman	...	Admissions Nurse
Maria Elena Ramirez	...	OB-GYN Maria
Pamela Lambert	...	Scrub Nurse
Ellen Withrow	...	Nurse at Recovery Hotel
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kimmie Johnson	...	Bar Patron
Jennifer Gjulameti	...	Bar Patron (uncredited)
Stream	...	NY jogger / shopper (uncredited)

Directed by
Diane English

Writing credits (WGA)
Diane English		(screenplay)
Clare Boothe Luce		(play)
Anita Loos		(1939 screenplay) and
Jane Murfin		(1939 screenplay)

Produced by
Diane English	....	producer
Mick Jagger	....	producer
Bill Johnson	....	producer
Victoria Pearman	....	producer
Jim Seibel	....	executive producer
Bobby Sheng	....	executive producer
James W. Skotchdopole	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Mark Isham

Cinematography by
Anastas N. Michos		(director of photography) (as Anastas Michos)

Film Editing by
Tia Nolan

Casting by
Amanda Mackey Johnson
Cathy Sandrich

Production Design by
Jane Musky

Art Direction by
Mario Ventenilla

Set Decoration by
Debbie Cutler
Mimi Watstein

Costume Design by
John A. Dunn

Makeup Department
Cydney Cornell	....	hair stylist: Annette Bening and Eva Mendes
Julie Hewett	....	makeup department head
Melanie Hughes	....	co-makeup department head
Araxi Lindsey	....	hair stylist: Jada Pinkett Smith & Lynn Whitfield
Araxi Lindsey	....	makeup artist
Kelley Mitchell	....	key makeup artist
Elaine L. Offers	....	makeup artist: Meg Ryan & Eva Mendes
Roxanne Wightman	....	assistant department head hair

Production Management
Daniel Hank	....	unit production manager: New York
Tracey Landon	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Takahide Kawakami	....	second assistant director
Kenyon Noble	....	second second assistant director

Art Department
Anthony Ambrosino	....	set dresser
Stephanie Armstrong	....	props
Kristopher Avedisian	....	set dresser
Audra Avery	....	props
Adam D. Bouchard	....	set dresser
Aimee Butterfield	....	set dresser
Brandon Cook	....	set dresser
Kaem Coughlin	....	scenic artist
Peter DeCurtis	....	leadman
Nicholas Delmenico	....	set dresser
Keri Dillard	....	set dresser
Jennifer Engel	....	assistant property master
Emily Gaunt	....	scenic charge
Derrick Kardos	....	graphic designer
Vanessa Knoll	....	buyer
Dave Major	....	additional on-set dresser
Luke Malloy	....	set dresser
Michele Mayas	....	camera scenic
Brian McKenzie	....	set dresser
John F. O'Neil	....	on-set dresser
Colby E. Peterson	....	construction production assistant
Christopher Plummer	....	art department production assistant
John Ryder	....	set dresser
Christopher Sawtelle	....	set dresser
Lisa Shaftel	....	set dresser
Cleo Wang	....	set dresser
Ryan Webb	....	assistant property master
Andréa Ciraldo	....	set dresser (uncredited)

Sound Department
Joshua Adeniji	....	foley editor
Gioia Birkett-Foa	....	additional sound utility
Brian Courchine	....	sound utility
Robert Dehn	....	assistant sound editor
Robert Dehn	....	sound studio manager
Levent Erdogan	....	assistant sound editor
Judah Getz	....	adr mixer
Judah Getz	....	foley mixer
Scott Hinkley	....	sound re-recording mixer
Cody King	....	sound effects editor
Richard Kitting	....	sound recordist
Andrew Morgado	....	adr mixer
Jay Nierenberg	....	supervising sound editor
Angelo Palazzo	....	sound effects editor
Tyler Parkinson	....	pre-record engineer
Stuart Provine	....	sound effects editor
Vic Radulich	....	dialogue editor
Joel Reidy	....	boom operator
Cathie Speakman	....	supervising adr editor
Jonathan Wales	....	sound re-recording mixer
Tom Williams	....	production sound mixer
Phillip J. Young	....	assistant sound editor (as Phillip Young)

Visual Effects by
Jamie Baxter	....	digital compositor
Ryan Beadle	....	digital I/O
Patrick Clancey	....	digital opticals
Sam Dabbs	....	lead title designer
Shaina Holmes	....	digital compositor
Paulina Kuszta	....	visual effects coordinator
Amani Williams	....	digital compositor

Camera and Electrical Department
Claudette Barius	....	still photographer
Robert Beinhocker	....	rigging electrician
Woody Bell	....	best boy grip
Matt Blades	....	key grip
Arnold F. Brown	....	rigging electric best boy
Robert Bullard	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Jan Burgess	....	assistant camera
Robert Clark	....	electrician
Brian Daigle	....	rigging electrician
Geoff Dann	....	electrician
Joshua Dreyfus	....	set electrician
Dru Dunnaway	....	rigging grip
Jack English	....	gaffer
Brant S. Fagan	....	Steadicam operator
Eric Goddard	....	electrician
David Hallas	....	rigging electric
Elizabeth Heslep	....	film loader
Dan Hutchinson	....	rigging best boy electric
Stephen Kaye	....	rigging electrician
Brendan Keefe	....	generator operator
Steve Koster	....	aerial director of photography
Frank La Frazia	....	electrician
Zach Lazar	....	generator operator
Damon Lemay	....	additional camera loader
Brandon James Maxham	....	rigging electrician
Heather Norton	....	first assistant camera
Georgia Pantazopoulos	....	electrician
Brian A. Pitts	....	best boy electric
Guillaume Renberg	....	remote head technician
Lance Rieck	....	remote camera technician: scorpio head
Lance Rieck	....	remote head technician
David C. Romano	....	grip
Liz Sales	....	additional second assistant camera
Susan Starr	....	camera operator
Travis Trudell	....	rigging electrician
John Trunk	....	video assist
Aaron Tyburski	....	rigging electrician
Rebecca Venezia	....	second assistant camera
Jen Woldrich	....	camera loader: additional photography
Jen Woldrich	....	film loader: additional photography
Guy Holt	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Matt Bouldry	....	casting assistant
Bridgette Glover	....	casting associate
Meredith Jacobson	....	local extras casting
Marisa Kushner	....	extras casting
Carolyn Pickman	....	location casting
Adam Vincentz	....	local extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Lindsey Alexander	....	costume assistant
Michael Burke	....	set costumer (as Mike Burke)
Elizabeth Clifford	....	key costumer
Carrie Davis	....	costume assistant
Sharon Globerson	....	assistant costume designer
Virginia Johnson	....	costume supervisor
Margaret Moy	....	costume assistant
Barbara Dalton Rotundo	....	additional costumer

Editorial Department
Michael Hatzer	....	digital intermediate colorist: Efilm
David Townsend	....	post-production coordinator
Benjamin Wiser	....	post-production assistant

Music Department
Chris Douridas	....	music supervisor
Jennifer Nash	....	music editor
Cindy O'Connor	....	composer: additional music
Tyler Parkinson	....	composer: stock music
Dennis S. Sands	....	music scoring mixer
Erin Scully	....	music executive

Transportation Department
William Gillespie	....	driver: production van
Ronald R. Harrison	....	driver
Marc Scott	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Natalia Anderson	....	cast coordinator
David H. Angell	....	location production assistant
Jacqui Baker	....	office production assistant
Kerry Carter	....	set production assistant
Eric Chamberland	....	location assistant
Alison S. Cohen	....	production counsel
Trevor Cohen	....	set production assistant
Terry Conforti	....	stand-in: Candice Bergen
Chris Cortez	....	production assistant
Derek Cunningham	....	location assistant
Jeff Dionne	....	assistant location manager
Kenneth Donaldson	....	set production assistant
Mary Donovan	....	production coordinator
Antonio Caetano Dos Santos	....	production secretary: Boston
Gleanna Doyle	....	animal trainer
Jenny Fitzgibbons	....	production accountant
Steven Fleet	....	misc crew
Darcy Forlenza	....	location production assistant
Laurie Gershon	....	product placement
Timothy J. Gorman	....	location manager
James L. Gowdy	....	first assistant accountant
Seba Johnson	....	stand-in
Tim Labonte	....	location production assistant
David Linck	....	unit publicist
Meredith Mohr	....	assistant: Ms. Bening
Cortney Norris	....	location assistant
Mathew Provost	....	travel coordinator
Emily Rice	....	post-production accountant
Charlie Scimone	....	key craft services
Philip J. Strina	....	business & legal affairs: New Line Cinema
Krista Swan	....	adr revoicing
Sonya Tateosian	....	production assistant
Stuart Valberg	....	production assistant
Ali Walker	....	production assistant (as Alison Walker)
Christopher Watts	....	set production assistant
Susan DeBerardinis	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Erin Shea	....	stand-in (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Picturehouse Entertainment (presents) (as Picturehouse)
• Inferno Distribution (in association with) (as Inferno)
• Jagged Films
• New Line Cinema
• Shukovsky English Entertainment

Distributors

• Picturehouse Entertainment (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Alliance Films (2008) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Bontonfilm (2008) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Central Partnership (2008) (Russia) (all media)
• Constantin Film (2008) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Entertainment Film Distributors (2008) (UK) (theatrical)
• Independent Films (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Italian International Film (2008) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Mirovision (2008) (South Korea) (theatrical)
• Nordisk Film Theatrical Distribution (2008) (Finland) (theatrical)
• On Pictures (2008) (Spain) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• Custom Film Effects (visual effects)

Other Companies

• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• EFilm  digital intermediate
• Kaye Lites  grip and lighting equipment
• Right Lobe Design Group  graphic sequences
• Right Lobe Design Group  titles
• Sonic Magic  sound post-production
• Square Tite Entertainment & Marketing  hair stylist
• Square Tite Entertainment & Marketing  special thanks
• Verve Records  soundtrack

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sex-related material, language, some drug use and brief smoking.

Runtime:

114 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

USA:PG-13 | Finland:K-11 | Ireland:15A | UK:12A | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Netherlands:AL | Canada:G (Québec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba) | Australia:PG

Filming Locations:

Bosse Sports - 141 Boston Post Road, Sudbury, Massachusetts, USA

Company:

Picturehouse Entertainment

Trivia:

Before development was put on hold in 2006, Annette Bening and Uma Thurman were rumored to have been considered for the roles of Mary Haines and Crystal Allen respectively. Also Lisa Kudrow and Anne Hathaway were in talks for the roles of Mirian Aarons and Peggy Day, but the roles were cut out of the final script.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the tampon-burning scene, Mary's hair goes behind her right ear and back over the right side of her face several times without her touching it.

Quotes:

Mary Haines: Oh, is this about the perfume bitch?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Michael Phelps/Lil' Wayne (#34.1)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

Everything Good Goes Away

The Sit-Com Factor

This film could have been a decent re-make, and gosh knows it tried (or Ms. English tried). Assembling talented actors together with a successful & experienced writer/director should be a formula for a decent film. But Ms. English's experience - according to her IMDb bio - is exclusively limited to television work, and it is glaringly obvious throughout this film.

I am surprised that none of the reviews I have read mention what I found most unlikeable about this film, and what kept it from reaching even a portion of its potential: it looked and felt like it was made for television. To give some credit to Ms. English, many of the jokes that simply did NOT work on a movie screen would have been terrific on TV (and maybe a laugh track would have helped). So much of the camera usage and the lighting would have played out fine on TV but looked awkward or odd on a big screen. If the whole film had been chopped up into a mini-series or a sit-com, I think it could have worked. But this is cinema and sadly Ms. English's talents didn't translate. I cringed at so many different points in my embarrassment for the actors & the writers that I felt like I came out of the theater half shriveled! Meg Ryan is her usual perky, cute self (except for the awful plastic surgery she has had on her face), but where did she have a chance to use her talent?! She has made films where she doesn't recreate her stereo-typed role and done them well... but not here. Annette Bening seemed to simply go through the motions - such a great talent and yet such a poor performance! I enjoyed the other women characters but they were more caricature than substance, and it was sad to see. What worked in this film in the 1930s doesn't translate to the 2000s, and no one helped Ms. English get the changes & updates or subtleties right. If only she (as writer, director AND producer) had reached out for some assistance, I think it could have been good. But it was not.

It's so frustrating to go to a movie that has good stars and a good writer or director and come away feeling it was a waste of everyone's time & money! This New Yorker cartoon I saw yesterday is appropriate: A few movie execs are having a meeting & the caption reads: "Let's remake a classic with worse everything!"