How To Please A Woman (2022) - Movie Review

I don’t have the best history with ‘chick flicks’. Not just with the ones I have reviewed on here, but with my general attitude towards them as well. In the past, I’ve lambasted quite a few features that fall into this heading for being empty wish fulfilment fantasies, which I perceived as talking down to their intended female audience with how contrived and basically gutless they came across. But then look at how many power fantasies I’ve reviewed that cater to the more masculine set, which arguably suffer from the exact same deficiencies, where I don’t tend to make such judgement calls. Or, at least, don’t make them nearly as often. If I had to guess, I think one last sliver of influence from the Nostalgia Critic is hanging on for dear life, as I initially got quite a bit of my perspective on the sub-genre from him, and… well, I’ve been doing this critical gig for many years now; what is a teacher if not someone to grow beyond?

I’m bringing this up both because this is something I’ve been wrestling with for a while, especially when looking at films like this, and because what appeals to women and the futility in making any blanket statements on the matter are some of the central themes of this film in particular. It’s an Aussie romantic comedy with a very Aussie approach to all things sex, where the frankness and lack of flinching about what gets discussed makes for quite refreshing material.

Home Again (2017) - Movie Review

I’ve made it no secret how much personal taste factors into every film I’ve reviewed so far, and likely every film I’ll review after this. Every critic has an inherent bias behind their reviews, that bias being their own idea of what makes a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ film. If there was a real consensus on what makes good and bad art, there wouldn’t be a need for multiple critics if everyone agreed on the same thing. Rather than present my opinion as objective fact, which either by design or by accident is the case with most of us, I keep things honest and admit that I’m not expecting anyone else to share my views; all I care about is being understood as to why I have the views I do.

 

Today’s review, however, is going to be a weird turn with that in mind. We’re dealing with a romantic comedy, and one that holds a lot of signifiers of what I consider to be a ‘chick flick’… and yet, this is the kind of film that appeals to my tastes. How exactly, given my relentless tirades about how much I hate the tropes of ‘chick flicks’? Well, let’s get started and I’ll explain.

Rough Night (2017) - Movie Review

Scarlett Johansson is one of the greatest gifts to the SF umbrella that any self-respecting geek could ever ask for. Even if the merit of the works can be debated to the ends of the Earth like Ghost In The Shell and Under The Skin, her turns as part of the MCU stable and even Lucy have secured her place as an actress who is right at home with genre films. She’s even gone beyond live-action work with some honestly unprecedented voice work for Her and The Jungle Book, giving truly amazing performances in both; very few actors are able to translate that talent this effectively.

 

To put it simply, I have gotten to the point where I am truly excited to see whatever new film she’s attached to, knowing her verging-on-legendary pedigree over the last few years. So, how does she fare today when she steps out of that comfort zone into a ‘dark comedy’. Brace yourself for one of the most unfortunately apt titles of any film this year.