Blyss's Movie Review for:

Main Cast of Characters:

Roseanne Barr...........Ruth Patchett

Meryl Streep.........Mary Fisher

Ed Begley, Jr...........Robert Patchett

Linda Hunt.........Hooper

Sylvia Miles..........Mrs. Fisher

Elisebeth Peters...............Nicolette Patchett

Bryan Larkin...............Andy Patchett

A. Martinez...............Garcia

Maria Pitillo...............Olivia Honey

Mary Louise Wilson...............Mrs. Trumper

1989. Rated: PG-13. Genre: Comedy

You know what you are? You're a She-Devil!

Ruth Patchett, a homely housewife, tries to do anything to make her accountant husband happy. He mentioned that there would be a party that week and Ruth decides that she wants to go with him much to his dismay. She gets a perm and a makeover and a new dress for the occasion. While getting her hair done, the audience learns that Ruth reads a lot of Mary Fisher's love story novels in her spare time. She is captivated by Fisher when she appears on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. That night, Bob, her husband, does take her to the ritzy party that he spoke of and Ruth spills her wine on her favorite author, Mary Fisher. Bob and Mary meet and it is love er lust at first sight. He offers her a ride home and makes Ruth walk 2 blocks to get home when he is really going out of his way to bring her home. Ruth stays up reading one of Fisher's books and eating while waiting for Bob. As the weeks go by, Ruth is sure that Bob is having an affair with Mary so she does her best to look good for him and also by cooking him a sexy dinner. However, his parents decide to come over and the truth comes out about his and Mary's affair. Bob packs his things that night and tells Ruth that he has many assets and only one liability. He states that his assets are: his home, his family, his successful career, and his freedom. Ruth is his only liability. Then he leaves and goes to live with Mary. Ruth is enraged and knows now that she must take all of his so-called assets away to get her revenge on him and she knows just where to start and how to do it.

"She-Devil" is a movie that I have watched for many years. Meryl Streep is an excellent Mary Fisher. She seems like a stereotypical romance author. Her wispy gasps between sentences and the fact that she is beautiful and can write only adds to the character. I really did not see Bob as the "stud" they made him out to be. I guess because Ed Begley Jr. is not my idea of a dreamboat. Ruth seemed to be a character that the writers wanted you to feel sorry for at the beginning. I did not feel sorry for her. It was obvious that even before Mary that her husband was cheating on her. She should have divorced him and avoided all of the mess that happened beforehand. The one character that I did feel sorry for was Mary Fisher. She seemed snooty but she did things for obvious reasons. She got together with Bob because she finally felt loved in her life and thought that he would love her back. She gave her money to Bob by buying him things and entrusting her money with him as he accountant. Her writing suffered because of Bob and his children and she became unpopular very quickly. Most of all, I felt sorry for Mary because she was a little naive and stupid. Bob cheated on his wife with her. Why wouldn't he cheat on her too? And he did!

Most of the time I think that revenge is a dish best served cold. However, this was one time that revenge was greatly deserved and Ruth could not be put down for what she did.

I rate this film: 8

Blyss