Bette Midler, Bronson Pinchot, Dan Hedaya

Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler, and Diane Keaton prove that revenge is a dish best served cold. Former college buddies, they reunite at the funeral of a dear friend who took a swan dive onto Fifth Avenue. ...( read more  read more... )All three discover they share the same unhappy history of husbands who dove into middle-age by dumping them for trophy wives. Forming a warring triumvirate, they decide to get even, and along the way remind themselves of long-forgotten capabilities. The action gets a little too "wacky" at times, but the gals are great. Portraying an aging actress, Hawn is sometimes a little too flamboyant, but there is much fun to be had in her flashiness, especially when she pokes fun at Tinseltown and her persona. Instead of her usual brashness, Midler stretches herself and shows us a woman who is not just unhappy, but also deeply sorrowful. Not that she isn't quick with a wisecrack, but her expressive face alone tells the story of her marriage. As the repressed and guilt-ridden spouse of a self- involved ad executive, Keaton finds her anger, and her voice, when her psychiatrist (Marcia Gay Harden) oversteps ethical boundaries. Watching Keaton grow from an ineffectual homemaker into a powerful businessperson reminds us that it has been far too long since she has done a comedy. Director Hugh Wilson smartly chose supporting players who each brought something unique to the film. However, he does not maintain the first hour's effervescent humor throughout the film, as the ending is weakened by a softening of the wives' resolve. --Rochelle O'Gorman

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69% liked it

56,804 ratings

Critics

42% liked it

31 critics

PG, 102 min.

Directed by: Hugh Wilson

Release Date: September 20, 1996

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DVD Release Date: December 1, 1998

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Flixster Reviews (2,356)


  • October 2, 2009
    It feels really dated now, it probably did then too, it?s was easily made 7 years too late! Still, Goldie Hawn is sexy and...well, that's about it. Its predictable and schmaltzy, very Jewish but, like I said, a bit late. Keaton looks uncomfortable in the role, Midler has been in ...( read more)worse I suppose and Jennifer Annison owes a lot to Hawn big time! It had a few funny moments but overall its forgettable (and ends in a song, *ugh*)
  • October 5, 2008
    "Ladies, you have to be strong and independent, and remember, don't get mad, get everything."
  • July 1, 2008
    I understand its intention, but it was ineffective.
  • June 19, 2008
    So many stars! SJP was so pretty when she was younger. The movie was ok...lots of overacting though. Diane Keaton drives me crazy! She is SO annoying.
  • January 27, 2008
    I absolutely love this movie....I love all three ladies in this movie; Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton, and Bette Midler...they are all hilarious in this movie. This film shows when these three women get together and there men leave them that they can be strong and get even.....wish al...( read more)l of these ladies would star in another movie.
  • November 18, 2009
    Beth Midler I love her style and quirkiness, she is so much fun
  • October 28, 2009
    NOT like the book - turned into a broad slapstick comedy. I adored the book but the scrubbed and sanitized film was fun. And what a cast!
  • October 28, 2009
    this move is so funny and sad becasue one of the wife dose not have her husband and she has to deal with her kids.
  • October 10, 2009
    i loved this "kick ass" movie!!!! dianne keaton,goldie hawn and bette midler,what more could you ask for?
    Three former college chums -- vain Elise, brassy Brenda and wimpy Annie -- reunite after the death of a friend. Soon, the ladies discover that they've all been recently dump...( read more)ed by their husbands for younger,women. The neurotic trio decide to band together and seek vengeance, using such bureaucratic methods as the IRS and the legal system. But their efforts lead them to break laws themselves. Lots of them. So will revenge be sweet for these first wives?....ohhhhh yesss!!!!!!
  • September 26, 2009
    i loved this movie.. .every dumped wife will associate with this and smile ... revenge is a dish best served cold lol..x






    LOVELY... chick flicks rule lol!

Comments


  • nj6
    November 1, 2006
    This is an all time favorit of mine! This movie actually helps me when im down ! It reminds me that I am a strong independant woman, I LOVE the end singing/dancing.. I always rewind and watch again! ;)

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The First Wives Club Trivia


  • Sarah Jessica Parker stars along side Bette Midler in The First Wives Club, what other movie do they star together?   Answer »
  • name the movie that stars Goldie Hawn, Dianne Keaton, and Bette Midler?  Answer »
  • Combine the missing words to make a new movie. Dawn of _____ Dead _____ Daughter The Stepford _____ Fight _____  Answer »
  • In what film is the tag line: "Don't get mad, get everything"?  Answer »

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