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	The Stepford Wives
	Frank Oz Nicole Kidman, Bette Midler, Matthew Broderick, Christopher Walken, Glenn Close, Roger Bart, Jon Lovitz, Faith Hill 2004		The remake of "The Stepford Wives," written by Paul Rudnick ("Addams Family Values") and directed by Frank Oz ("Dirty Rotten Scoundrels"), tries to amp up and hip up the darkly comic subtext of the creepy '70s sci-fi film of the same name. It's disappointing, as wacky renovations go. Taken from Ira Levin's horror novel, the premise remains the same: Shortly after a couple moves into a model suburban town, the wife notices that all the other women in the area are perfectly turned out and overly accommodating to their husbands. There's a sinister reason for this, which has a devastating impact on the newcomers. Oz is a skilled director, and he has an ace cast, headed by Nicole Kidman, Bette Midler, Matthew Broderick, Christopher Walken and Glenn Close. They're all better than the material. Kidman is high-powered television exec Joanna, fired when her pet reality TV show ignites a tragedy. To start anew, her husband (Broderick) suggests a move from Manhattan to quaint Stepford. Joanna and a feisty author (Midler) are the only wives there who don't fit the happy-homemaker mode. They better watch out. Rudnick's script goes for easy social satire that hits early, and then begins to fall flat. His handling of the sci-fi aspects is inconsistent and undermines the movie's internal logic. It's up to the actors to salvage a few funny moments.


	Sunday, November 17, 2024





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