Mel Gibson skeeved us out when he gained selective telepathy, allowing him to hear women’s thoughts, in What Women Want. So why is the fantastic Gong Li signing up to star with Andy Lau in a Chinese remake?
There’s a whole sub-genre of films out there that combine the worst elements of romantic comedy and science fiction/fantasy — usually a man who’s kind of a dickwad gets hit with some kind of bizarre spell, or pseudo-scientific transformation, until he learns his lesson and finds true love. Shallow Hal is kind of the apotheosis of this genre. But What Women Want is the oilest, most toxic of the bunch. Not only does Mel Gibson use his new-found telepathy to steal Helen Hunt’s ideas and undercut her at every turn, he also uses it to become better at manipulating women and selling shit to them. We know Mel’s “gotten” it when he becomes a better huckster and learns how to drive women into a consumer frenzy. Because what women really want? Turns out to be Reeboks. Or Nikes. I forget which.
Anyway, we can only hope that Gong Li isn’t wasting her time in a straight-up remake of this film — maybe whoever’s hired to adapt the script can add a bit more subversive wit. Please? [Associated Press]
