This is a movie about how Ali taps into “what men want” as a means of finding out how to grow and develop herself as an adult. Unlike the ironclad chemistry between the women of, say, Girls Trip (2017) or an earlier Henson film, Hidden Figures (2017), Shankman’s film merely pantomimes female friendship.Īdd to the fact that only a handful of scenes pass the Bechdel Test, What Men Want ultimately feels beholden to its title. But a large cast elbows out this subplot, resulting in friendships that feel unconvincing. Writers do make a clear effort to include girlfriends as a secondary support system. Ali’s growth occurs through her relationships with male coworkers, male clients, a male love interest who has a young son, and even through her primary support-her single father. Where things slip, however, is the fact that she's largely surrounded by men. In addition, What Men Want is anchored by Henson’s Ali Davis, a career-obsessed sports agent who has become selfish in her unwavering quest to “win” at all costs.Īli’s rehabilitation provides the central plot, ensuring that the film stays wholly focused on a woman’s narrative. Assessment: 38% of key cast and crew members were women.Īlthough directed by Adam Shankman, women come in force through writers Jas Waters and Tina Gordon Chism. An electric protagonist, strong acting by a solid supporting cast, some genuine moments, and a helluva lot of laughs are all good reasons for why this movie belongs on your radar. That's exactly what What Men Want provides. Spin-offs like this seldom produce artistic epiphanies, but if done well they’re usually worth a fun night at the movies. It riffs off of Mel Gibson’s What Women Want (2000) and gender-swaps the plot, making appropriate adjustments along the way.
Henson’s pure magnetism, how bad could her latest be?Īs it turns out, not bad at all, as I thoroughly enjoyed this silly comedy. But then I caught The Movie Brutha’s take and he pointedly challenges the film’s unfavorable reviews, reminding me that if I could sit through Proud Mary (2018) and still enjoy it thanks to Taraji P. I should have known better than to trust aggregate review sites! I let an eye-wincing score on Rotten Tomatoes deter me from watching What Men Want on opening weekend. Writers: Story by Jas Waters ???? and Tina Gordon Chism ???? and screenplay by Tina Gordon Chism ????, Peter Huyck ????, and Alex Gregory ????