|
|
|
|
There's nothing remotely funny about the subject of gynecology nor anything else about this film. Neither is it particularly dramatic or touching or any other key phrase I might use to entice viewers to see it. It's a story about a Dallas gynecologist named Dr. Sullivan Travis, as portrayed by Richard Gere's character whose whole life is enmeshed with women. And it's driving him just a little crazy - or at least to the golf course, the shooting range and hunting fields where he can bond with his male buddies. At home he's got a loony wife (Farrah Fawcett), two fractured daughters (Kate Hudson and Tara Reid), his alcoholic sister Peggy (Laura Dern) with her three toddler daughters and a maid His medical practice is overrun with at least two dozen patients at any given moment and another half dozen assistants led by the Energizer bunny herself, chief nurse Carolyn (Shelly Long). Wife Kate, early on, gets dumped into a psychiatric hospital so it's up to Aunt Peggy to plan Travis' daughter Dee Dee's (Hudson) wedding. Meanwhile, younger daughter Connie gives tours at the Dallas Book Depository and spouts assassination theories at every opportunity. Why wouldn't he want to have an affair with a smart, independent golf pro named Bree (not like the cheese) in the guise of Helen Hunt? The only real woman in the film is Hunt's character - the rest are portrayed like a bunch of goofy self-centered airheads in a cattle call. Why? Here's a clue - it's a Robert Altman film. Interestingly, though, that sanity and strength leaves Bree rather boring and sterile when compared to all those airheads surrounding her. Dr. T says he worships all women. Then I wonder why he can't run an organized office and not overbook. He seems to love keeping them waiting hours at a time while he allows ludicrous unscheduled family visits to dominate his time or bumping a client just to give new girlfriend Bree access to his troubled brain. Not only is it not funny, it's stupid and aggravating. In the end, Dr. T gets whirled about in a tornado-like storm a la Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz He lands in Mexico and helps a woman give birth to a baby boy. Why'd I tell you the ending - so you'd know how totally ludicrous this loser of a film is. Lotta says toss this one over the border. Reviewed 12/1/00
|
