À la recherche de Debra Winger

I wanted to like this movie, I really did, but it's a mess. As well-intentioned as is Roseanna Arquette, there's no real point to this film.

Obviously, Arquette was able to secure the confessions of some of the finest actresses of our times, but instead of drawing on the "Red Shoes" theme, we are subjected to an inchoate collection of let's face it, silly laments.

Though not meant to be, a lot of these diatribes are insulting to women who struggle along in boring jobs, barely able to make ends meet while juggling marriages, kids and art without benefit of nannies, private jets and personal assistants.

Instead of discussing the struggle of art v. children, or career v. marriage as was promised in the opening monologue, this movie is about extraordinarily beautiful women who want our sympathy because they no longer receive the enormous privileges they received when they were more desirable to the men who make movies.

I love Theresa Russell, I really do, but she comes off like a selfish, prom queen who isn't getting enough attention. Laughable but sad is Melanie Griffith who obviously knows the joys of Botox and collagen but still cringes at the sexism to which she is subjected by the industry that made her rich. Jane Fonda, on the other hand, is as loopy as she was when Ed Murrow interviewed her 40 years ago on "Person to Person."

At least two of the screen goddesses interviewed -- Diane Lane and Sharon Stone-- have already altered their pronouncements: Lane who allegedly can't fit a man into her life is remarrying and Stone who finally met the perfect mate is divorcing.

The only person in this documentary who makes any sense at all is Terri Garr. I've always liked her and now I like her even more. The problem is no one is listening to Garr, though she still works all the time, even with a disability. And thankfully, Debra Winger comes off sane and sensible.

Get a grip girls. The rest of us mortal women of a certain age struggle throughout life, not just when we enter menopause. I am competing with 20 year olds in my workplace, just the same as you.

What was it that F. Scott Fitzgerald said? "The rich are different from you and I?" I guess the same is true of actresses.

This film is a very intelligent and moving one, on a subject that is rarely discussed so freely between stars of the screen. Miss Arquette has done a great job, directing and participating in the film. It helps demystifying the work of actresses, their relationships and their everyday life. I think it is a very unique document for anyone who want s to start a career in acting, even if you're a man, one of the most touching scene, is when Jane Fonda talks about how many times she did feel or attained nirvana doing a character, the way she felt just before entering the set, and how she felt while she was actually entering in someone else's soul, absolutely breathtaking! Rosanna Arquette, you surprised me with that very inspiring movie, thank you so much!

I certainly appreciate what I believe Rosanna Arquette was trying to accomplish with this well intentioned documentary. Unfortunately the project was just not edited well enough nor focused enough on any particular issue faced by aging actresses to ever be engrossing or fascinating. Instead about midway through, it felt like the focus became 'how many actresses can I fit into this 99 minute film'.

I was hoping for a serious discussion of why writers no longer value story lines featuring actresses over 40. Why do we not get to see more juicy roles for our favorites....the Jessica Langes, Sissy Spaceks, Diane Keatons, Maggie Smiths, Sally Fields, etc etc. How do they feel about the new 'youth only' version of Hollywood? How do they choose roles today, and how fulfilling is working in TV after decades of movie work. These issues were talked about, but so were about 100 others, which watered down the film's narrative power substantially.

Some of the input was certainly worthwhile. I loved the feedback from Whoopi Goldberg, Holli Hunter, Diane Lane, Sharon Stone, and Martha Plimpton the most. These actresses were given a lot of screen time and were very interesting. Jane Fonda's admission that she was a less than perfect mother was also eye opening.

Other actresses I wanted to see more of were just given a few seconds on screen. I wanted more from Teri Garr (along with Goldberg, the actress with the most realistic viewpoints in the film). JoBeth Williams began to discuss the guilt of being a working mom, but then was never seen again. Catherine O'Hara was underused, with only a few seconds on screen.

Worth a watch but probably will not be as good as you are hoping for after seeing all the names involved. I commend Arquette for the effort in any case.

I started out liking this film. Ms. Arquette was making some good points, talking to some very interesting actresses (Jane Fonda is a standout, as well as Debra Winger herself.) But this film could have easily been 20 minutes shorter--it just seemed to go on and on. In the end, when all of the actresses involved in the documentary are signing their names in lipstick on pieces of mirror (huh?), Rosanna is the very last one to do it. It just hit the point that this was such a vanity piece rather than a serious piece of filmmaking, which it really could have been, if someone else had directed it that is.

I applaud Rosanna Arquestte for approaching these topics and find it interesting to see these actresses as themselves. However, I find myself shaking my head at most of their responses to balancing their careers and motherhood. It is like they have never heard this discussion before, and that they are unique in finding themselves facing this problem. Many woman - and many men who are primary caregivers - are faced with this agonizing dilemma. It is extremely difficult to be both a mother and be passionate about your chosen career. The big difference between these actresses and most women is that most of us can't afford qualified help (such as a nanny) to help ease the burden.

A far more interesting question, which arose out of the interviews, was asking why there are so few roles for women over 40, and why women in Hollywood need to be attractive but men do not.