"The Women" staring Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, and Jada Pinkett Smith was sloppy, and witless. Beyond that they made an accomplishment - they had a token lesbian and black person with attitude! They brilliant thought to combine into one character.
The women treat their men like dogs, or let themselves be treated like dogs. Sylvia Fowler (Annette Bening) at the end talks about the new love interest, it was like "seeing her puppy in the pound like a kennel" or something to those lines. Jada Pinkett Smith dates her "supermodel" girlfriend as an accessory. Tanya (Debi Mazar) had every right to be angry - she is a person, not a pony to trot out for show.
Mary Haines, at the heart of this "feminist film" allows herself to believe in the possibility that she can live without confronting her husband about his affair. In her "you go girl" moment I couldn't help but feel disappointed - her friends put all the blame onto Eva Mendes, the stereotypical "remorseless home wrecker", and on Mary Haines.
Mary, however kindly took this ridiculous and unfair beating. Her daughter only expresses disappointment in her mother, that it was her mother's responsibility to uphold the marriage, and turn the other cheek. Her husband was at fault, he was not powerless. He had a choice, and he chose to betray their marriage. When she re-invents her life to realize that she does need a man after all! Without real consideration of his mistakes, she takes him back.
At the end of this movie, there is hope in the air, Mary Haines now has a man back, and Sylvia Fowler gets a chance at getting a man! Now she won't have to be a spinster, albeit one with supportive friends, and the chances at many great careers ahead of her. Edie Cohen (Debra Messing) gets her precious son - did she want to finish off her collection of children, or be able to show a male heir to her husband?
Crystal Allen is not a dog, Tanya is not a bag, Edie Cohen's daughters are just as beautiful as baby boys, and Mary Haines deserves better and is not a wife, mother, and daughter. She should be a real person!
I want real women, not "The Women".
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It's based on a Claire Boothe Luce play, she of better-known-for-her-conservative-institute fame.
Her husband wronged her by having the affair, yes, but it's not the worst thing a person can do. We all agree it's a bad thing to cheat on your husband or wife, but, realistically, all human beings have a sex drive, and, by nature, want more than one person.
I don't think it's an inhuman thing to cheat, or that taking back a cheating spouse is necessarily a doormat thing to do. I do think, however, making your spouse feel like your cheating was her/his fault is bullshit, and accepting the blame for someone else's inability to keep their pants on is a doormat thing to do.
So I agree she's a doormat and that doormat-ness is promoted here, but disagree on the "why" part.
Otherwise, spot on.