Death Becomes Her (1992)
Starring Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis, Goldie Hawn, and Isabella Rossellini
Directed by Robert Zemeckis
***This film is currently streaming on Netflix***
Almost a real-life cartoon of sorts, Death Becomes Her is essentially a 90-minute catfight between two aging "frenemies" who will do whatever it takes stay as young and fresh as possible. Director Robert Zemeckis creates an over-the-top atmosphere that never once feels "real"...but that's the point. Absurdity is given free reign and Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn chew up the scenery with soap opera diva levels of overacting. Unfortunately, this doesn't always work and the dark comedy finds itself with too many moments of awkward silences to be fully successful.
When the egotistical actress Madeline Ashton (Meryl Streep) steals away her good friend's fiancé, her old college pal Helen Sharp (Goldie Hawn) is sent into a downward spiral leading her into a life of overeating and obsessing over murdering Madeline. However, things aren't going so well for Madeline either fourteen years later. Her once well-revered plastic surgeon husband Ernest (Bruce Willis) has lost his license to practice medicine thanks to his tendency to down one too many alcoholic libations, and now he finds his gawky and nebbishy self making over folks who have died so that they look beautiful in their coffins. In addition to her hubby troubles, Madeline can't help but find herself aging much more than she would like. When attending a party for Helen's self-help book, Madeline discovers that Helen is looking younger and more voluptuous than ever sending Madeline into her own downward spiral. Looking for any possible assistance in helping her age gracefully, Madeline finds herself on the front porch of the Gothic-looking abode of Lisle Von Rhuman (Isabella Rossellini), an incredibly sexy and sensuous witch of sorts who sells Madeline what essentially amounts to the Fountain of Youth in a bottle...which may or may not be a good thing in the grand scheme of life.
As is the case in nearly all of her films, Meryl Streep is a treat to watch. As I've grown, I've come to admire her simply because she is solid at nearly every performance she undertakes. Even as a comedienne and even with a role as broad and one-note as Madeline, Streep is fun to watch. Goldie Hawn is fine, but considering that she's more well-known for comedy, the script doesn't give her nearly as much humor to work with as Streep. Bruce Willis is solid and Isabella Rossellini is simply stunning. I remember watching this as a 12 or 13-year old boy and finding myself agog in multiple scenes where Ms. Rossellini shows as much as is allowed in a PG-13 rated film...she's still just as lovely to look at eighteen years later.
Filled with some decent special effects (which won this film the Oscar for Best Special FX), the corny cartoon atmosphere works some times, but by the film's end, the one-upmanship between Madeline and Helen upon which the film is based grows a bit tiresome. The catfights are funny initially, but it's not quite enough to build an entire story upon.
The RyMickey Rating: C+
