The Associate (1996): Dir: Donald Petrie / Cast: Whoopi Goldberg, Diane Wiest, Tim Daly, Bebe Neuwirth, Eli Wallach: A woman disguises herself as a male to prove a point. The title regards someone who doesn't exist. In this case the screenwriter. It stars Whoopi Goldberg as a hard working woman on Wall Street who quits her job after a scheming male broker received the promotion due her. She attempts Wall Street elsewhere but her gender creates a problem so she invents Robert S. Cutty. After a makeup job she is able to carry out meetings but he gets the credit. When things get really out of hand she is assisted by her secretary in in staging Cutty's death, which lands them both in jail. Director Donald Petrie does his best with the unoriginal material. Whoopi Goldberg holds her own despite the predictable outcome, and Diane Wiest elevates the standard role of secretary to amusing levels that payoff. Tim Daly is cardboard as the schemer whom took Goldberg's opportunity. His role is pretty straight forward and about as boring as a class speech. Also appearing is Bebe Neuwirth who is sexually interested in Cutty but again, the role is lifeless. Finally veteran Eli Wallach makes a wasted appearance to remind us that we need to see his earlier roles. Theme exposes male chauvinism that fails as a screenplay but big fans of Goldberg will likely associate best with it. Score: 6 / 10
Review of The Associate
