This movie had a lot of bad things said about it upon its release, but my girlfriend dragged me to it anyway. I didn't really like it, but after extended conversation, we realized exactly what we were dealing with.
And that is, a movie before its time. Most all cinema, both in and out of Hollywood, is brought to us by upper-class white males, complete with their beliefs, morals, what have you. One would argue, then, that even if a film came from someone who was not an upper-class white male would still have to work within that system, probably even being influenced by it, in order to get a film made.
Note, then, that this film was written by a woman, and directed by a woman. The characters in it are not testoserone-driven or in any way the pumped-up dumbed-down characters we have seen in recent decades. They are sensitive, but open to communication, a little irrational at times, but still human. They are characters from the female mind, a female psychology, and have very feminine ways in interacting with each other.
Then note that is was probably marketed by the same male-dominated Hollywood.
This is, of course, mostly backed up with the amount of psychology classes I have taken, but the simple version is that when this movie was new, I discussed it with many of my friends. All of the men either had no desire to see it, or hated it. Every single one of the women thought it was excellent.
Granted, this is a common rationale used by people who think themselves movie critics, but just you try seeing with a member of the opposite sex, and see how your opinions differ.
This is the first movie of a New Hollywood, tho it will certainly not be remmebered as such. Check it out and see what I mean.
