Dangerous Woman [VHS]

Dangerous Woman [VHS]
by Stephen Gyllenhaal

Dangerous Woman [VHS]

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Product details

Actor: Barbara Hershey, Debra Winger, John Terry, Laurie Metcalf, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Director: Stephen Gyllenhaal
Edition: VHS Tape
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, HiFi Sound, NTSC
Running Time: 93 minutes
Release Date: 1995-03-14
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Publisher: Universal Studios
Studio: Universal Studios

VHS Movie Reviews of Dangerous Woman [VHS]

Movie Review: GABRIEL BYRNE IS AT HIS MOST BEAUTIFUL IN THIS MOVIE
Summary: 5 Stars

Wow this should be called a Dangerous man not a dangerous woman! Gabriel Byrne was heartbreakingly gorgeous at this time in his career, actually he's still one of the sexiest men alive, as HBO's In Treatment clearly shows. I also think that Deborah winger was brilliant in this movie, she never broke character once. I know some people think she played the slow whitted "Martha" unsympathetically, but that's exactly what made the charater so believeable. The more I watch it the more I realize how good she was. However I wish they would bring it out on DVD, the VHS version is pretty awful, but still worth it to see Gabriel in all his glory.

Movie Review: Debra Winger leads fine cast in important story
Summary: 5 Stars

Except for a small, slight logical extension to the end, this adaptation is completely faithful to the book. To keep it to a reasonable length, chunks of plot and exposition in the original book have been left out - for example, the entire back story about Mackey being a published author is deleted, so when he goes back to his writing and Martha interrupts him at his typewriter, anyone not familiar with the original book may be lost as to why he's typing and why he reacts so strongly to being interrupted.

The cast assembled is a dream - Debra Winger, Barbara Hershey, Gabriel Byrne, Laurie Metcalf, David Straithairn, Paul Dooley. Because they've had a chance to read the original novel, they have complete backstories, and fully inhabit their characters.

When I first saw this movie, I was completely spooked by Debra Winger's portrayal of Martha Horgan. Watching it again on video, I think her portrayal sometimes veers a little too far towards "mentally ill," although the book takes great pains to portray Martha as a socially awkward woman who is situationally abused by everyone in her town. When she lashes out violently, which is true to the book, it can be shocking to watch. It's equally disturbing to observe the casual cruelty to which she is subjected, by children, adult friends, sales people. When Mackey, the stranger from out of town, treats her kindly, the contrast puts the injustice front and center.

So much of the book is missing, it almost makes the book seem overplotted. The ending has been cut back enormously; I suppose it would have played as melodrama. Still, the screen adaptation is completely true to these characters, the situation, and the actors embrace the roles with gusto.

I have known Martha Horgans in my life, and this is the only book - and only movie - to sympathetically portray these women, grown older out of the fire of high school into the isolation and loneliness of adulthood. This is a stand-out role and performance by Debra Winger, surrounded by a cast and script that deserves to be seen. Read the book, too, it's as harrowing as the movie. This movie does not deserve to languish in obscurity.

Movie Review: no title
Summary: 4 Stars

A much, much better movie than I anticipated, with all three major characters achingly alive. Martha (Debra Winger) could easily have been someone I know. All the reviewers kept referring to "mental illness, mentally disturbed, fragile grip on reality, socially maladjusted". I think these are all dead wrong. She is a 10-year-old girl in a woman's body. Mentally retarded, not mentally ill. And Winger just dissolves into the role. She is totally, utterly believable; you can see her mind churning in each scene. But Hersey and Byrne are also very, very good. Look of movie similar to "Rich In Love", with Albert Finney, even though this was supposed to be California, and "Rich" was in one of the Carolinas. A fine ending, with lots of hope, and a hint that truth at any price may not be all bad. Martha never lies, but even though imprisoned, she is not unhappy, and neither are Hersey or Bryne, who picks up the pieces of his life. Lying is very much the issue here, from the first scene. Much to think about, e.g. exactly why Martha kills Getso, lying on two planes, cheating, and stealing.

Movie Review: Yowza! Gabriel Byrne plus Hershey, Winger, Straithairn!
Summary: 3 Stars

Despite the slightly Lifetime-for-Women feeling of 'A Dangerous Woman' this is pretty good. The cast is a director's dream, only this director must have cried every night wishing he had a bigger project! I love Barbara Hershey and Debra Winger, they should be in other stuff together. Gabriel Byrne is such a doll, and you get to see David Straithairn in nothing but briefs! Watch for Chloe Webb from China Beach in a minor part. Once the somewhat outlandish ending has played out, you won't mind because of the fun scenes where Byrne gets to emote and then there are the racier scenes but if you think I'm going to tell you what they are you're wrong, you will just have to watch it!

Movie Review: It figures...
Summary: 5 Stars

...that people who deceive themselves and others would also hate a character that portrays pure honesty. It's human nature to hate all truth. The book excellently "plugs in" what the movie expects viewers to figure out. People avoid those like Martha because she sees right through everyone (that terrifies people) and no one fools her. She completely lacks self-deception and is immune to being deceived. She knows Mac does not love her, but she still loves him anyhow. Anyone can love someone who loves her/him back, but not just anyone can love someone who she/he knows will not love her/him back.

People detest those like Martha. The motive to use labels as "retarded" in such ways portrays the principle of, "the best defense is an offense." Non-childlike people crave twisting everything around for self-serving purposes. Why is this so?...no other reason than for the denial of guilt. Mental illness is a SYMPTOM of practicing deception (inwards &/or outwards). Even God states those who are child-like have a sound mind. As much as it may not be socially correct to say so, truth be told, rare is the person who is not mentally ill and Martha in this movie is far more sound minded than all the other characters. She is simply living in a world that doesn't appreciate her.

All humans have feelings, but rare is the human who has bold convictions and complete intolerance for that which is not right. Causing the death of a person may not always be right, but in Martha's case, it wasn't done with malice intent; plus, she never denied what she did nor would she compromise truth to any degree for any reason even when everyone else kept urging her to take advantage of using a socially acceptable excuse. The movie leaves out the vital aspect its book contains of what happened to Martha earlier in her life. This adds to the understanding of why Martha acted as she did when Getso had her cornered (plus; you need more insight than even the book in order to understand what was going on in Martha's mind at that time). Her heart was never only on self-affections; quite unlike everyone else who's greatest concerns stemmed around self-pride. It is not to be expected that people who think like almost everyone else are going to be able (&/or even want) to understand a self-effacing, "oddball." How ironic it is that everyone likes to perceive themselves as being unique while at the same time craving to be popular by emulating their peers (ex: clothes, cars, lingo, homes, impressive jobs, etc.). The best reason for giving 5 stars is the brilliance behind creating a story that can prove it's theme through the reactions of those who view it. People find Martha repulsive. Martha represents truth. People find truth to be repulsive when it's put like an undeniable mirror in front of their exposed self. Most people find movies which trigger sensations as being entertaining, so naturally those who are entertained by intellect more than feel, will be bored by the "popular" movies Hollywood puts out.

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