What women want? Mel Gibson!

Satish Iyer

What women want.

The title lured me into the cinema hall and I expected to come out a learned man who would know the answer to the unanswered question.

Does the film have an answer? You must be kidding.

Nancy Meyers tackles a different subject: What if a man knows what women want?

What does she deliver? A film which has everything a woman wants, a handsome Mel Gibson hogging the screen, a few good laughs, some light romance.

But the film has a lot of unnecessary baggage. For example the hot steamy scenes -- rather uncalled for in a film such as this one. The suicide sub-plot is as unnecessary as the Rajpal Yadav plot in Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya.

You know how the film will end. And you are made to wait so long that you ask yourself, was it Aditya Chopra directing the film?

Given all this, does the film still succeed? Interesting question. To be honest, yes. And the film has to thank braveheart Mel Gibson for carrying all the baggage with a lethal weapon called humour.

Take off Mel Gibson and the film falls apart.

Story? Nick Marshall (Mel Gibson) is a chauvinistic New York ad executive who's due for a promotion. In comes Darcy Maguire (Helen Hunt) hired by Nick's boss (Alan Alda) as creative director -- quashing Nick dreams of the promotion.

After a freak accident, he suddenly gains the power to hear the innermost thoughts of every woman (so cool!) he comes across. He discovers what they really think about him -- not a very nice thing to know.

So he decides to use his power to his advantage. He does an inspired Anu Malik and starts stealing Darcy's ideas at work. His power also helps him understand his estranged daughter (Ashley Johnson).

And at the local coffee shop, he is finally able to seduce the pretty cashier (Marisa Tomei).

As expected by the viewers, the hero suddenly starts relating to them. Isn't it a problem for such an unapologetic womaniser?

To top that, he falls for Darcy around the same time that his devious bid to steal ideas start to pay off. Now that should have been the climax -- love or career?

The scriptwriter had other ideas though, and brings in Nick's coworker, who wants to commit suicide.

Mel Gibson goes about his superficial character convincingly. The script is very partial to him, allowing him to hog the limelight.

Helen Hunt, in spite of the limitations of her role, develops it well and provides good support. The chemistry between the lead artistes is a great boost to the film.

All said and done, the film is Mel Gibson.

The scene of the film is when he takes his daughter out to buy a dress for her prom night and Gibson hears her think, "This is the dress I am going to wear the last day I am gonna be a virgin."

It must be said, though, that the editor must have forgotten the scissors somewhere because the film slows down towards the end. Also, the relationship between Mel Gibson and his daughter occupies a lot of screen time -- the film would been crisper if it were 15-20 minutes shorter.

Nancy Meyers (The Parent Trap) has found a formula that works -- at least for two hours in the hall.

You might not remember the film a month or two later. But then who expects anything more these days?

So, watch, laugh and forget it!