The Banger Sisters (2002)
-
47% of critics liked it
(140 reviews) -
43% of users liked it
(44,446 ratings)
For some folks, the 1960s never really ended, and one woman still cheerfully stuck in the Summer of Love discovers her one-time best friend has left that decade as far behind as humanly possible in this comedy. In the late '60s and early '70s, Suzette (Goldie Hawn) and Vinnie (Susan… More For some folks, the 1960s never really ended, and one woman still cheerfully stuck in the Summer of Love discovers her one-time best friend has left that decade as far behind as humanly possible in this comedy. In the late '60s and early '70s, Suzette (Goldie Hawn) and Vinnie (Susan Sarandon) were two of Southern California's most celebrated groupies. Affectionately nicknamed "The Banger Sisters" by Frank Zappa, best friends Suzette and Vinnie partied hearty with practically every rock star of the era who mattered, and kept a collection of Polaroid snapshots documenting their randy exploits. In 2001, Suzette is still her free-spirited self, and after losing her job as a barmaid at an L.A. rock club, she decides to look up Vinnie, whom she hasn't seen for 20 years. Suzette hits the road for Phoenix, AZ, to pay Vinnie a surprise visit, and en route picks up Harry (Geoffrey Rush), a novelist with writer's block who can't drive and hasn't had sex for a decade. Upon her arrival, Suzette discovers Vinnie isn't quite the same person who used to chase any man with long hair and an electric guitar. Now going by her given name of Lavinia, she's a straight laced social worker with a lawyer for a husband, Raymond (Robin Thomas), and two teenage daughters, Hannah (Erika Christensen) and Ginger (Eva Amurri), none of whom know a thing about her wild and crazy past, and have a pretty hard time imagining Lavinia even attending a rock concert. Eva Amurri comes by her role as Susan Sarandon's daughter naturally enough -- Amurri is Sarandon's daughter in real life. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Bob Dolman
- Written By
- Bob Dolman
- Genres
- Comedy
R,
- In Theaters
- Sep 20, 2002 Wide
- Studio
- Fox Searchlight Pictures
Critic Reviews
-
J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
This is the directorial debut of Bob Dolman, who got his start scripting WKRP in Cincinnati, and as one might expect, he handles the comic material with aplomb and falls on his face whenever the story turns serious.
-
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone
Hot idea. Tepid execution.
-
Peter Rainer, New York Magazine
So insipid it may turn even superannuated hippies into raging neocons.
-
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper
There's a good movie to be made about fifty-something former groupies, but The Banger Sisters is not that movie.
-
James Berardinelli, ReelViews
There are many things that solid acting can do for a movie, but crafting something promising from a mediocre screenplay is not one of them.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Currently unavailable on Flixster
Also available on
UltraViolet Retailers
Other Retailers
Subscription Services
Not Available
Not Available
Not Available
Cast
-
Goldie Hawn
as Suzette
-
Susan Sarandon
as Lavinia
-
Geoffrey Rush
as Harry Plumber
-
Erika Christensen
as Hannah
-
Eva Amurri
as Ginger
-
Robin Thomas
as Raymond Kingsley
-
Matthew Carey
as Jules
