Spoonatects
Am i the only one who thinks........Average?
Huievest
Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.
KnotStronger
This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.
Python Hyena
The Associate (1996): Dir: Donald Petrie / Cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Diane Wiest, Tim Daly, Bebe Neuwirth, Eli Wallach: A woman disguises herself as a male to prove a point. The title regards someone who doesn't exist. In this case the screenwriter. It stars Whoopi Goldberg as a hard working woman on Wall Street who quits her job after a scheming male broker received the promotion due her. She attempts Wall Street elsewhere but her gender creates a problem so she invents Robert S. Cutty. After a makeup job she is able to carry out meetings but he gets the credit. When things get really out of hand she is assisted by her secretary in in staging Cutty's death, which lands them both in jail. Director Donald Petrie does his best with the unoriginal material. Whoopi Goldberg holds her own despite the predictable outcome, and Diane Wiest elevates the standard role of secretary to amusing levels that payoff. Tim Daly is cardboard as the schemer whom took Goldberg's opportunity. His role is pretty straight forward and about as boring as a class speech. Also appearing is Bebe Neuwirth who is sexually interested in Cutty but again, the role is lifeless. Finally veteran Eli Wallach makes a wasted appearance to remind us that we need to see his earlier roles. Theme exposes male chauvinism that fails as a screenplay but big fans of Goldberg will likely associate best with it. Score: 6 / 10
edwagreen
Women's lib would really go for this 1996 film about a woman who loses a promotion to her fellow worker despite her better experience and seniority.Since she will now be a subordinate to this guy, she quits and forms her own investment group. She is aided by a very frumpy Dianne Wiest.When she can't get anywhere due to her sex, she invents a male partner to get her ideas accepted.The film is a funny one and when Whoopi is forced to "produce" this partner, she gets a costume with the white face of a Marlon Brando mixed with a Thomas Jefferson profile and hair-do. That part is really hilarious.Of course, there is more fun ahead when Whoopi is accused of killing this partner and Wiest is accused of being an accessory to murder.With all this, the film is highly predictable but go enjoy it anyway.
dwpollar
1st watched 5/9/2007 - 4 out of 10(Dir-Donald Petrie): OK comedy drama with Whoopi Goldberg playing a character reminiscent of the Robin Williams man to woman transformation character, Mrs. Doubtfire, but opposite, of course. Whoopi's character is a wall street investment associate in a firm where the men usually rule the roost. She is up for a promotion to Vice President, but loses it to her partner, primarily because he's a man who knows how to play to the higher-ups wim's. She quits and starts her own investment firm and invents an elderly white male partner named Robert S. Cutter and starts becoming very successful despite the fact that the companies never meet the illustrious Mr. Cutter, but instead Whoopi does all the work, and he's always traveling around the world and never available. Eventually, Cutter has to show himself and what we get is Whoopi in a pretty amazing transformation done by her cross-dressing friend. The transformation is so well done that it's hard to tell that it's Whoopi behind the wig, mask and the rounded-out body. The transformation isn't the problem in this movie, it's just that it has very few opportunities for Whoopi's comedic talents to come thru. Dianne Weist is actually very good in a supporting role as Whoopi's mega-talented secretary and Whoopi isn't bad in her performance with what she's given but the screenplay is very flat and un-inspired. This could have been a good expose on women in this field and how they're unable to penetrate the upper ranks but it doesn't come across that it has any desire to be much of anything which is very disappointing. I'd love to see Goldberg & Weist together again in a better film -- so maybe this will happen someday.
Melissa B
Just saw this great movie on HBO! What a hoot! I've actually experienced some of what the movie portrays in real life.....and Whoopi was definitely perfect for the part! Really nice mix of real life issues (even in the modern world of 2006) and humor......and Whoopi, she should have received an Academy Award for her role! I've always liked her, but after seeing her in this role, I have a huge amount of new respect for her work! She comes across as if she really was the character she's portraying. You need to step back to realize she's an actress playing a part. Of course, her supporting cast did a great job too!I didn't read any reviews on this, so I don't know what the critics might have said......I do know that I really can't say enough good things about this movie! You really can't miss, especially if you're female! ;-)
