Au fil de la vie

A truly touching movie about two friends who meet as children and keep in touch into adulthood. Bette Midler is great as CC Bloom and sings a great soundtrack including the now classic hit "Wind Beneath My Wings." I really liked this movie and have purchased it both on VHS and DVD and often share it with friends. (I saw it twice in the theater.) Everyone should see this movie.

Among the movies that get to us emotionally, "Beaches" is on the top of my list. Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey convey the story and portray their roles to perfection. Midler also shines with her musical talent much of the time, especially with the theme song "Wind Beneath My Wings." All things considered, the movie is great.

Midler is Ceceila Carol "C.C." Bloom, a New York aspiring entertainer with attitude and a drive to be successful in show business no matter what it takes (which she does). Hershey is Hillary Whitney, a rich kid from San Francisco with little experience beyond her posh and privileged upbringing. She and C.C. meet by chance on a beach in Atlantic City when they are 11 years old. They instantly become friends, and keep in touch with each other over 25 to 30 years through thick and thin (i.e. distance, career challenges, marriage and divorce, fights, jealousy, competition for the same man, etc). Fate and choice bring them together when they need each other most. Ultimately, their bond will be tested in a way they never imagined. How they deal with this challenge is what will determine their destiny as friends.

Midler and Hershey round out the film with believable character development. They have their moments (C.C. can get on your nerves with her ego, and Hillary has her ways), but they prove that friendship weathers the most difficult of circumstances. The small supporting cast is nice as well, including Lainie Kazan as Leona Bloom (C.C.'s mother), John Heard as John Pierce, C.C.'s theater director husband, James Reed as Michael Essex, Hillary's husband, Spalding Gray as Dr. Richard Milstein who Midler takes interest in while living with Hillary in San Francisco, Mayim Bialik and Marcie Leeds as young C.C. and Hillary, and Grace Johnston as Victoria, Hillary's daughter in the latter half of the film. The "Wind Beneath My Wings" montage toward the end will make more than a few emotional. I highly recommend "Beaches" because it will make you truly appreciate and strive for the meaning of friendship and those most important to you!

Garry Marshall's "Beaches" is another examination of friendship and how it can be affected over time. This theme was expertly handled by Arthur Penn in his 1981 masterpiece "Four Friends". "Beaches" is just as powerful, but it's predictable ending prevents it from truly reaching greatness and all sorts of odds and ends stick out.

But maybe it's meant to be that way. It is based on a novel, unread by me, and for all I know it could be truly faithful to the source material. But I can only judge from the film itself. And for one, I am tired of the syrupy ending that was popularized by 1970's excellent "Love Story".

But despite that, Marshall has directed a very good movie here. He may be coasting lately, but "Beaches" proves he's a natural at the type of genre I like best: the serious comedy. We laugh so we may not cry. That may sound corny, but it's true and many of my favorite films are that kind of film: "10" (Blake Edwards, 1979), "The Man Who Loved Women" (Edwards, 1983), "Skin Deep" (Edwards, 1989), "The Apartment" (Billy Wilder, 1960), "The Fortune Cookie" (Wilder, 1966), "Harry and Tonto" (Paul Mazursky, 1974) and "An Unmarried Woman" (Mazursky, 1978) to name a few.

The performances are first rate, especially Bette Midler, whom I'm only used to in comedies. With this film and "Stella". she proves what a truly great actress she really is. She deserved an Oscar nod for this performance. Barbara Hershey is fine as always in the kind of role she can play in her sleep.

One thing that really irritates me is the term "chick flick", which implies that it's only a "women's movie" and men are not only discouraged to see one, but not allowed to even enjoy it. And people I know say that if a man enjoys a so-called "chick flick", he must be gay.

Well, I am definitely heterosexual and am affirmed enough in my manhood to see and enjoy these films. Isn't it about time we just stop the bull and admit that we like these films too? Action is O.K., gore is fine for those who like that kind of thing, but I'd take an intelligent and moving comedy/drama anyday over T&A. And if other guys can't accept that, they're missing out on some good films.

***1/2 out of 4 stars

"Beaches" is a movie about two people who have family, acquaintances, spouses, careers, etc. but they only had each other when they really needed a friend. That's what makes the ending so hard to take. I think we all can relate to that one or two special people (if you're lucky) in our lives who never actually "go away" even if they don't physically live close to you anymore. Months or even years can go by, but you always pick up where you left off, with ease, when you see or speak to them. You may annoy each other at times, but you will always love each other. They're always with you because you've shared so much. Some of us may never find our romantic long-lasting "soul mate", but this movie makes the excellent point of showing that if you find a true friend in life you are truly blessed.

There are good movies and there are those you'll never forget that you can see many many times. Beaches definitely goes into the latter category Actually I didn't get to see it until a few years ago, maybe because I'm a guy and this kind of movies aren't what guys usually rent but as one grows up, so does the appreciations for sensitive movies like Beaches.

The book is even better and I wish they had made the movie even longer with more stories from the novel.

I recommend Beaches to both women and men, if you think you couldn't cry from a movie - watch this and see if you're wrong - I was...