The Women

(USA, 2008, 114 minutes)

Four New York society friends find out the husband of one of them is having an affair with a salesgirl at a department store. Ill-advised remake of George Cukor's 1939 sparkling classic that wastes its stellar cast in flat sitcom jokes (some of which are quite funny), flat handling and some truly bewildering product placement. As timepassers go, there are worse things, but as a remake of a lovingly remembered movie it's nothing short of a disaster.

Picturehouse presents, in association with Inferno and Double Edge Entertainment, a Jagged Films/Inferno production with Shukovsky English Entertainment. Starring Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett Smith; Carrie Fisher, Cloris Leachman, Debi Mazar; with Bette Midler; and Candice Bergen. Directed by Diane English; produced by Victoria Pearman, Mick Jagger, Bill Johnson, Diane English; screenplay by Diane English, based on the play The Women by Clare Boothe Luce and on the screenplay by Anita Loos and Jane Murfin for George Cukor's 1939 film The Women; music by Mark Isham; director of photography (DeLuxe), Anastas Michos; production designer, Jane Musky; costume designer, John Dunn; film editor, Tia Nolan.