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WHAT GIRLS LEARN

Review by Chastity Campbell

Stars: Scott Bakula, Elizabeth Perkins
Director: Lee Rose
Audio: Dolby Digital Stereo
Video: 1.33:1 Standard Full screen
Studio: Paramount
Features: None
Length: 114 Minutes
Release Date: April 8, 200 

“Now he’s kind of cute!”

“And look, he even has arms and legs too…yippee!”

Film ***

What Girls Learn is a heartwarming and heartbreaking tale about two sisters who are struggling through those awkward early teenage years that all women bury in the far recesses of their minds never to visit again!  

Elizabeth and Tilden are very happy with the life they have in rural southern Georgia.  When their Mama, played by Elizabeth Perkins, informs them that she has been in a long distance relationship with a man named Nick from Long Island, New York, they are not thrilled.  When she informs them that they are all moving to New York to live with Nick, well…you can guess what hits the fan!

This movie is a typical tragic love story with and without a happy ending.   On the one hand, the youngest daughter Elizabeth likes Nick and thinks they should give him a chance.  Stoic older sister Tilden doesn’t think she needs a father, and tells Nick to his face that he will never be more important to her mother than she is.  

When a foreseeable plot twist turns everyone’s life upside down, will they pull together and weather the storm as a family, or will they drift apart, and be scattered like leaves on the wind?

What Girls Learn, despite the predictable plot, was a very nice way to spend a couple of hours.  I can’t call it a feel good movie, because I cried too much for that to be true.   What I can say is that it reminded me life can be horrible and wonderful, all at the same time.  You can be up today, and down the next, but as long as you recognize those people around you that have a shoulder ready to lean on, you’ll be okay.

Scott Bakula (Enterprise, Quantum Leap) does an outstanding job as the floundering father wannabe Nick.  He is sensitive to Mama’s needs and tries his best with the girls.  Not to mention he does one heck of a New York accent. 

Elizabeth Perkins shines as the quirky character of Mama.  Perkins has an eccentric quality about her that gives her portrayal of an early 8’s single mom the weight it needed to be believable.  She delivers all of her lines with just the right amount of her own personality mixed in to make Mama a very lovable character.

What Girls Learn will leave you in emotional overload, but it’s well worth the tissues you will use once you have completed the journey. 

Video ***

This DVD, with it’s soft tones and gentle hues, was a very nice visual treat.  The 1.33:1 Standard Full-screen format had a very nice quality to it.  Very little dirt or grain was visible, and there were no obvious flaws.  Natural lighting played a key role in some of the outdoor scenes, but this DVD manages to handle the different types of lighting without any phasing or discoloration.  

Audio***

The Dolby Digital Stereo mix used on this DVD was very nicely done.  The audio levels were constant throughout the disc and no audible dips or drops in level could be detected.

The soundtrack for this DVD was very nice as well, and helped give the movie a little extra push. 

Features ½ *

The features on this DVD consisted of scene selection and still frame menus.

There were no other special features.

Summary: