Apologies to fans of this film, but I found it shrill and vastly over-rated.
The characters and performances are, on the whole, poorly written and acted. Ms. Midler emotes her heart out, which is occasionally effective but is more often histrionic. She is ridiculously over-the-top, veering from vicious drag-queen to out-of-control drunk to weepy little girl. Her manager is a tedious cardboard villain while her boyfriend displays moments of charm but can't avoid the overwrought pitfalls of the film.
The sequence with the former lesbian lover of the Midler character highlights what is wrong with the film. It was contrived and unbelievable, the lovely former lover a wooden prop to set up another scene of people freaking out. It all rang hollow and false and loud and melodramatic. What unlikeable people! The era it documents is tragic from an aesthetic point-of-view. Whether it is the hair, clothing, or sets, everything in the film matches the characters: ugly. The sequence in the red-neck diner comes to mind for the same reason: ugly dialogue, ugly behavior, ugly attitudes. This is a film for masochists and connoisseurs of ugliness.
The only blessing is that the ending precluded the possibility of a sequel. I was grateful when this film was finally over. If I want a trashy melodrama, I want it to include some fun and some comedy, both of which are utterly absent from The Rose.
The characters and performances are, on the whole, poorly written and acted. Ms. Midler emotes her heart out, which is occasionally effective but is more often histrionic. She is ridiculously over-the-top, veering from vicious drag-queen to out-of-control drunk to weepy little girl. Her manager is a tedious cardboard villain while her boyfriend displays moments of charm but can't avoid the overwrought pitfalls of the film.
The sequence with the former lesbian lover of the Midler character highlights what is wrong with the film. It was contrived and unbelievable, the lovely former lover a wooden prop to set up another scene of people freaking out. It all rang hollow and false and loud and melodramatic. What unlikeable people! The era it documents is tragic from an aesthetic point-of-view. Whether it is the hair, clothing, or sets, everything in the film matches the characters: ugly. The sequence in the red-neck diner comes to mind for the same reason: ugly dialogue, ugly behavior, ugly attitudes. This is a film for masochists and connoisseurs of ugliness.
The only blessing is that the ending precluded the possibility of a sequel. I was grateful when this film was finally over. If I want a trashy melodrama, I want it to include some fun and some comedy, both of which are utterly absent from The Rose.