 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
What Women Want
- Review Date: May 19, 2003
- PG-13
- Genre: Comedy
- 2000
Common Sense Media says
Gibson keeps this movie afloat.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this movie has stronger language than indicated by the previews. Nick manipulates the waitress into having sex with him by reading her thoughts. He's apalled to hear her thoughts in bed and find out what a poor lover he is. So he listens to her thoughts and is able to give her an extraordinary experience which leaves her deeply touched. He then forgets all about her until she confronts him a week later. He take the only out he can think of to explain why he had not called her -- he tells her that he's gay.
What's the story?
WHAT WOMEN WANT stars Mel Gibson as Nick Marshall, a Chicago ad exec who is successful at work and with the ladies, whom he wheedles and charms but never really thinks about. Nick is promoted to Creative Director, and gets a new boss, Darcy Maguire (Helen Hunt). The ad agency needs to appeal to women consumers, so Darcy hands out products for the staff to explore, and Nick does his best, experimenting with mascara, leg wax, nail polish, and exfoliater. But an accidental near-electrocution leaves him with a new power -- the ability to hear women's thoughts. At first horrified, Nick realizes that there are some real advantages to being the only straight man in the world who knows how women think. He uses it to manipulate women, including Darcy and a pretty coffee shop waitress (Marisa Tomei). But it turns out that women do not think about Nick the way that he thought they did, and he is forced to think about himself in a new way. Nick has never listened to women before, but now he can't help it. He sees the damage that he has done, and he begins to correct it. And of course he begins to fall in love with Darcy and to connect to his 15-year-old daughter.
Is it any good?
Mel Gibson shows us just what women want in his first-ever romantic comedy -- we want Mel Gibson. Gibson is sheer heaven in this movie, dancing to Frank Sinatra in his apartment, watching his daughter try on prom dresses, or just reacting to snippets of thoughts he hears from girls, women, and even female dogs as he walks down the street. He has the physical grace of a leading man and the timing and unselfconsciousness of a comic. The script sags in places, but Gibson keeps the movie floating in the clouds.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about whether it is hard for men and women to figure each other out, and how they can do better. They may also want to talk about the pressure Nick's 15-year-old daughter feels to have sex with her 18-year-old boyfriend and how she decides what to do about it. They should also talk about how a small act of kindness can be very important to someone who is coping with depression. (But make sure that children know that clinical depression is a serious illness that cannot be "cured" by a few kind words.)
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AGE
Really outstanding romcom, even if you don't like romcoms
I am not a fan of romantic comedies (romcoms), but this one really hit home. It was funny, fresh, and original. Parents: there is a lot of really strong and explicit sexual material here. I'm surprised this wasn't R. There's actual sex scenes, partial nudity, and explicit sexual references, all accompanied with language. What I would have rated it: R for Sexual Content and Language. Bottom Line: This movie is perfect for a date night, and then any other night. Thanks for reading! - Movie Man
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AGE
great and funny it is pretty racy but its not extreme .
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AGE
I don't like romantic comedies
But this surprisingly caught my attention, I liked Mel Gibson from "Braveheart" even in light of his tabloid drama, I thought I'd give it a try. This movie really spices up the genre everyone now is calling boring and predictable. Sure it is predictable, but it throws in some serious moments and even a little fantasy elements. Give it a try!
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AGE
A little cringe-worthy, but excellent!
This was a funny, funny comedy I really enjoyed watching with my best friend. Nick starts out being some totally selfish, clueless, player guy, who ends up being really sweet and learns a lot, especially how to communicate with his teen daughter. Some of the stuff would be a little cringe-worthy for tweens, but I think most teens will be ready to watch this at 13. Darcy was also amazing in this movie, she was definetly a great women role model, although the plot didn't exactly follow in the feminist footsteps, a lot of the female thought were stereotyped, but it did show Darcy as making new things for the company, and creating the ads that secures Nike as their newest client. Great movie though!
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Kid, 10 years old
July 18, 2011
AGE
Okay...
MovieMan26, It's rated PG-13 for those reasons.
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| Studio: | Paramount Pictures |
| Director: | Nancy Meyers |
| Cast: | Helen Hunt, Marisa Tomei, Mel Gibson |
| Genre: | Comedy |
| Run time: | 127 minutes |
| Theatrical release date: | December 15, 2000 |
| DVD release date: | May 8, 2001 |
| MPAA rating: | PG-13 |
| MPAA explanation: | sexual content and language |
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