Waiting to Exhale (1995)

This film brought me to tears not because it was so emotional I had to cry but being a Black man and a working actor making a living for 20 + years, It was the first time a big budget, well shot, well acted (Whitney is still weak at times), well directed film about "most" black lives got a big theatrical release. Most black films (Excluding Spike Lee) are about thugs or are so low budget you never get to see them. It was about time!

Fmovies: I got an opportunity to see Waiting To Exhale for the second time recently, the first time shortly after it came out, and now now. I can't say time has improved my thoughts of the film, which is odd, as I seemed to recall really enjoying this the first time it came out. (Maybe I should watch 'Homeward Bound' again, as I LOVED that movie the first time I saw it) The only actress really to impress in this movie is of course the amazing Angela Bassett who growls and hisses every chance she gets! I really liked this character, and I felt for the trials she was going through. The other character I liked was the one played by Loretta Devine, who was cute as the overweight mother who unexpectedly falls in love. I kind of thought the Lela Rachon character was underwritten, and seemed to almost revel in her wantonness. lol. As for Miss Houston, when I was watching her "act", well, Chesty Morgan's performance in "Deadly Weapons" came to mind for some odd reason, as it appears the acting thing was becoming a struggle, and wasn't going to last for too long.. All in all, I wasn't really disappointed in the film, it just slid off...

WAITING TO EXHALE

Waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and waiting... you get the point. "Waiting To Exhale", Forrest Whitaker's take on Terry McMillan's popular book, had a rather popular following upon it's release in 1995. It was packaged brilliantly, crossing over into the popular music scene with a blockbuster soundtrack featuring it's star Whitney Houston. However, as Leonard Maltin said it so beautifully, this film ultimately reminds one too much of the easy listening jazz that plays under nearly every scene.

"Waiting To Exhale" had the potential to be an interesting movie. It features a nice ensemble that manages to have good chemistry while also allowing certain performers to step into the limelight and really dominate certain scenes. Unfortunately, in the end, the movie is a repetitive drone.

It tells the story of four African-American females (played by Angela Bassett, Whitney Houston, Loretta Divine, and Lela Rochon) as they struggle to find the men in life that can satisfy there needs. The only problem, in the world of this movie, men are nothing but complete ass-holes who wouldn't know the word "feelings" if they looked it up in the dictionary. How can this film possibly go anywhere when it's screenwriters has made men so incredibly unredeemable that nothing can change.

For the first 45 minutes, the film is slightly enjoyable. However, as it continues on into it's 2 hour and plus running time... it begins to feel like deja-vu. The women keep putting themselves in identical situations to those they've experienced in the past... and as much as they talk about it in slow/sultry voice-overs, they don't seem to learn squat.

It's like the soundtrack music. Slightly soothing, enjoyable, and easy to digest... but too slow and pointless to listen to for very long. "Waiting To Exhale" in the end is nothing more then a boringly pointless film that wastes the potential it had with the cast. Were the film given more of a focal point, and a more distinct narrative line, perhaps it could have been a good film. But everyone on board apparently missed the memo that... films are better when they have a plot and a purpose.

... D ...

Waiting to Exhale fmovies. That's the word I'd use to describe the film, an adaptation of Terry McMillan's 1992 best-seller. It's not great, it's not bad, but it's frustrating to watch, and the fact that I'm of the male persuasion undoubtedly had something to do with it.

Now, let me be the first to say that I did enjoy seeing a group of strong black women portrayed onscreen. To say that Hollywood has been exceedingly lax in this regard is an understatement. But it would've been nice if their collective talents hadn't been squandered on this disgustingly anti-male tirade. Especially Angela Bassett and Loretta Devine, who otherwise shine in everything their names are attached to. Good, solid movies about sisterhood are probably needed now more than ever, but not at the cost of shortchanging the good, upright, decent brothers out there, whom this movie largely forgets about (with some notable exceptions -- Gregory Hines, for example.)

And the frustration doesn't end there. Both Savannah and Robin manage to find themselves involved with the most shady characters (a married man and a dope fiend, respectively), yet they complain about the lack of good men out there. I suppose it would be silly to question just where they've been looking, even though it might hold the answer. The sad thing is that there are fellas out there who have little to no regard for women ("the scum of the f__king earth", to quote Savannah), and women who fall for fellas like that for the most silly, shallow reasons.

If it wasn't for Bassett, Devine, and Babyface's score, this movie would barely be watchable. As it is, it's a moderately entertaining diversion, albeit a frustrating one.

Angela Basset was good as expected, but Whitney has no Range as an actress. The screenplay also neglected to portray, on film, the greatness of this novel. Instead of promoting sisterhood, they emphasized the canine-qualities of men. Read the book; rent Soul Food instead!

With all the hype surrounding "Waiting to Exhale," I was looking forward to renting it on video. It's nice to know that someone has made a movie with four strong, independent African-American women.

But when I saw it - and maybe this is me ranting because I, being a white male, am not part of the target audience - I was annoyed by all the whining, especially regarding that the men that these women were sleeping with/getting divorced from were leaving them for white women.

I can understand them being upset, even furious, with all of the philandering. But they act as if it would be OK if the men left them for other African-American women. Not to make light of the issues of racism, adultery, or divorce, but I can image Bernadine saying, "Hey, Savannah, I see that you're sleeping with my husband. Care if I join in!?" (Apologies to those who may take offense).

Speaking of Savannah, why is Whitney Houston complaining about finding the right man when she seems to be able to have sexual relations with any man that has matinee idol looks and a job - not to mention is *MARRIED*. I guess that any man who isn't married is a loser to Whitney.

Having not read the book, I realize that this is merely an adaptation - or, for Terry McMillan's sake, I hope it is. I'm not knocking any of the acting. Angela Bassett, Whitney Houston, Lela Rochon and Loretta Devine, as well as the supporting cast, are all talented and do commendable jobs. And Forest Whitaker proves himself to be a talented director. It's just that the lion's share of the characters come off as unsympathetic.

I realize that I'm merely scratching the surface, but I've wasted enough time on this movie. "Why Do Fools Fall In Love," the movie which describes Frankie Lymon's battles with the recording industry and liasons (sp) with three different women, one of which is Rochon, is a far superior movie and worth at least $5 of the $6 that I paid to see it.

I give this one 2 out of 10.