Laurel Ayres is a businesswoman trying to make it but unfortunately she works at a investment firm where she does all the work but all the senior investors like Frank Peterson grab all the credit. She then leaves and starts her own firm. While trying to find clients Laurel pretends that she has a male partner named Robert Cutty. And when she starts to do well all of her clients wants to meet Cutty which is difficult since he doesn't exist.
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No, this is not from a John Grisham novel. An ambitious young black woman (Goldberg) tries to establish her own Wall Street investment firm, but quickly finds the business is part of the old boys' club. In order to get anyone to listen to her, she invents a male partner who always seems to be out of the office. This gets her into all sorts of jams. Director Donald Petrie wisely keeps Goldberg ducking and dodging all sorts of sticky situations for the first half, before having her slap on white face and a fat suit to pose as her imaginary partner in the second half. Dianne Wiest is wonderful as her mousy but very bright assistant, and the best parts of the movie are the scenes involving the two women. Bebe Nuewerth has a funny role as a corporate seductress, and Eli Wallach is a wealthy businessman eager to deal with Goldberg's firm but only if he can meet her partner. Tim Daly and Austin Pendleton add to the merriment as, respectively, Goldberg's ex-boss and a Bill Gates type. The movie walks a fine line between social commentary and laughs, and was shot in New York and New Jersey during winter, which gives the film a much more realistic look considering the absurdity of the premise.
Just saw this great movie on HBO! What a hoot! I've actually experienced some of what the movie portrays in real life.....and Whoopi was definitely perfect for the part! Really nice mix of real life issues (even in the modern world of 2006) and humor......and Whoopi, she should have received an Academy Award for her role! I've always liked her, but after seeing her in this role, I have a huge amount of new respect for her work! She comes across as if she really was the character she's portraying. You need to step back to realize she's an actress playing a part. Of course, her supporting cast did a great job too!I didn't read any reviews on this, so I don't know what the critics might have said......I do know that I really can't say enough good things about this movie! You really can't miss, especially if you're female! ;-)
Very mild spoilers....This film is a fun romp through all kinds of business world clichés - which are only clichés because they are all so true! I'm a WG fan all the way and I especially loved her in this film (she had ME believing for a few minutes here and there that she really was a white man!) But Dianne Wiest was absolutely THE BEST in this movie. I just loved her character, and as always DW is likable, funny, sweet-natured, a little timid on the surface, but UNDERNEATH is a hotbed of energy and fire in the belly. And yet always so understated. I especially love her line pointing out that she and Whoopi have no way to get home after their attempt to fake Robert's death in a car explosion - the line delivered so quietly and matter-of-factly: "We came in THAT car." FUN FUN FUN movie! One to watch over again - more than once.
Don't usually like Whoopie starrers, but she really does herself proud in this funny but sadly true account of discrimination against women in the business world (and others - academic, entertainment, etc.). Amusing and clever film, but you have to be a working woman to really appreciate its truth and poetic justice.
