The Stepford Wives

When the title of a film (or a book, or both in this case) enters the common vernacular with a very specific meaning, it’s hard not to be “spoiled” for that movie.  I’ve known for years what a “Stepford Wife” is and its origins, so the revelation at the end loses some of its punch.  But I’ve always maintained that if a film is truly ruined by knowing its twists, it wasn’t a very good film to begin with.  Fortunately, this one was not ruined much at all.  In fact, it made picking up the little bits of foreshadowing more enjoyable, like the opening scene.

It’s certainly a product of its time, but in most cases does not come off as dated.  This particular brand of off-kilter horror is something that generally appeals to me.  The 70’s soft-focus, diffused light aesthetic suits the subject matter exceptionally well, highlighting the phony utopianism of the well-heeled suburbs (although I feel this kind of urban/suburban divide is less relevant nowadays, but perhaps that’s just my limited perception).  Perhaps the feminist issues underlying the central allegory are not quite as much of a concern today, but that doesn’t make them less resonant, and serves as a reminder that maybe we haven’t come as far as we think.

There are a lot of scenes early in the film that are designed to get a particular point across but do it far too slowly.  The beats of the film are compelling and for the most part I like the manner in which information is doled out, but the pacing is sometimes a real drag.  I’m not asking for Michael Bay short attention span edits or anything, and I do think the slow burn is part of the appeal.  It just needs some tightening up here and there, like the parking lot scene for instance.  And the music is occasionally just plain silly.  But overall I liked the movie, with some creepy tension and nice performances by Ross and Prentiss.  Rating: Good

IMDb