The Butcher's Wife

Demi Moore (with a blonde do) plays Marina, a clairvoyant who marries a New York butcher believing him to be the man of her dreams. Once she gets to New York she finds out that while her powers seem to be accurate when she advises other people, she may not have made the right choices for herself...

I was forced to watch this movie by my girlfriend and found myself pleasantly surprised. It's no classic, but is a sweet, enjoyable film (though it's fairly easy to spot how things will work out early on).

Over here in the UK the film received a "15" certificate, presumably for the one instance of strong language that actually jars with the rest of the film, and possibly for the lesbian character/s (though they barely touch each other on screen).

I sympathised with most of the characters, especially Mary Steenburgen's would-be singer (she has a surprisingly good voice, by the way). Marina's complete accuracy when it comes to predictions that don't involve her is a little far-fetched, especially when she gets her own life in such a mess.

Worth a look if you like low-key romantic comedies with a slightly magical twist (not a large genre!), or if you liked "Simply Irresistible" (1999) with Sarah Michelle Gellar. Not really one for most guys, though.

If you like romantic films and you like Marina, you will probably like this film. Marina, played by Demi Moore, is the titular character around which the entire film revolves.

Marina is from Ocracoke Island. When she meets Leo (George Dzundza), she immediately knows he is her soul mate, because his coming has been foretold. Marina lives in a world of portents where natural events determine destinies. And that is the world of this film.

She marries George and moves to his island, Manhattan, where she works in the butcher shop and hands out clairvoyant advice on the side.

The film is charming because of its premise and its core of benignity. Even when complications arise in the lives of its characters, the viewer knows this is a world in which fate has kind purpose and love will ever win out. However, there is one erroneous prediction that threatens to disrupt the perfect order. Will it result in unhappiness or romantic chaos?

Ms. Moore captures the accent of Ocracoke and, despite her personal distaste for her experience making this film, portrays a likable and convincing character. The rest of the cast is strong. Watch for some enjoyable cameos.

I think that Demi Moore was bold to go with the little known Ocracoke, NC accent because most people will probably (wrongly) think that she was doing a very bad job at a North Carolinian/Southern USA accent.

Ocracoke is a small, fisherman's island at the bottom of the North Carolina Outer Banks island chain and is only accessible by ferry. This isolation has kept the accent there mostly unaltered since the 17th century days when it was inhabited by British seamen. The Ocracoke accent sounds like a mixture of Brit and Yank, so what you hear Demi Moore doing in this movie is really quite accurate.

I also enjoyed the cozy portrayal of the Manhattan (NYC) side street neighborhood life. The NYC avenues tend to be wide, impersonal and busy, but the narrower, townhouse and small shop filled side streets can be quite friendly. It gives me some nice, childhood nostalgic memories to see the happier, day-to-day aspect of NYC life shown in this film.

I watch this romantic comedy whenever it is on TV, and I have no complaints about it at all. I find it to be a sweet, feel-good film with occasional hints at magic realism, but without plunging too far into that iffy genre.

I feel that all the players did good jobs, and that the locations and settings felt very true. Nice production values too.

If you like "Moonstruck", then you will probably like "The Butcher's Wife" too.

Plot in a Nutshell: Clairvoyant Marina (Demi Moore) impulsively marries Leo the butcher, moves with him to New York City and begins to change people's lives for the better with her 'homespun' but sage advice - much to the annoyance of their psychiatrist (Jeff Daniels).

Why I rated it a "7": It's charming and cute. Doesn't try to be something it's not. This is no Oscar contender, but then it was never intended to be. Falls squarely in the "Rom-Com" and "Chick Flick" genres, but does so comfortably. The supporting cast shines - especially Mary Steenburgen and George Dzundza. There is enough light comedy to keep the pace moving. Seeing Demi Moore with long, blonde, permed hair was a twist. I saw this years ago and remembered liking it. Seeing it again recently did not change my opinion, it's still harmless fun.

Best Line: Leo (to Dr. Tremor): "Stop (messing) with my life!" Dr. Tremor: "I never touched her!"

Would I watch again (Y/N)? Yes.

I just love, love, love this film. The cast is perfect, right down to all the bit-parts. At first I was bothered by DM's accent (& her blonde hair is a shame) but the sweet script transcends all that. All the characters are pitch perfect, the lines so funny & the message inspiring! The locations are also great, I don't know where this is in NYC, but I would love to live there! I think Jeff Daniels is simply brilliant in this film, and Mary Steenbergen too. The scene where DM tells her she's a singer is lovely & the sparky scenes between JD & DM are so sweet and funny too!