Movie Review: How to Please a Woman

 Movie number 21 of 2022

Movie: How to Please a Woman

Theatre: Hoyts Victoria Gardens

Stars: 4

This film goes in the "A lot better than expected" bucket, I am very pleased to say. It's so good to walk out of the cinema with a smile on your face and the knowledge that some truth has been told. This is because a lot of women won't tell you that what they want is to have their house cleaned. By a man. Among other things. 

How to Please a Woman tells the story of Gina (Sally Phillips) a under-appreciated office worked and Mum, whose life is pretty dull. Her husband Adrian (Cameron Daddo - still dishy all these years later) doesn't see her. Her wanker boss doesn't appreciate her. She's basically invisible to all but her band of mates down at the swimming club. 

Her last task at her awful job, before she is made redundant, is to inspect a removals company fun by Steve (Erik Thompson) and his rangy crew of misfilts, with which she sees some promise.

She also receives a visit from a sex worker her friends from the swimming club had got for her birthday. When Tom the stripper asks what she wants in her two hours, she asks that he cleans her house. 

And the pivot for the company comes. No longer are they removalists, but housecleaning sex workers. 

And after a few teething problems, all things are set to rights. Gina finds herself. The guys of the company learn how to both clean house and clean up in bed. And the women of Freemantle are happy. 

The strength in this film is found in its script - which is great. Renee Webster's script and direction are sure footed and have a wonderful older woman's gaze to both. Gina's swimming club are shown in all of their glory in the change rooms, and it is BRILLIANT to see normal women's bodies on the screen. I cherish this film for this amongst all other things. 

Filmed in and around Freemantle is shows the best of the West as well. Some of the houses the boys clean are amazing. 

But the best thing this film does is show just what it is to be a middle-aged woman, and that fact that we do have brains and bodies and thoughts and desires ande we're fucking tired of being overlooked. 

In some ways, this is a bit of a cautionary tale as to what a woman can do when she sets her mind to it - and the power of friends and friendship groups, which all middle aged women I know are very dependent on. 

This is a very good Australian film, and not for the normal reasons of what makes an Aussie film great. More Lantana than Kenny. More The Full Monty than Gallipoli. I highly recommend this - and if you're a middle-aged woman like me, you'll be chuckling, nodding and fist pumping your way through the film in delight and agreement. 

This is definitely worth a look.

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