This movie is not serious at all. That's the funniest part!
This movie is absolutely among my comedy favorites. Perhaps it was a bit ahead of it's time, I think - everyone should take a look at it again and have a laugh.
As a European I must say that it is ever so refreshing with a movie with such a black humor to it. The fact that everything is over the top makes it not less attractive, but brings the so-called "authenticity" of this story to an extend of fun, fun, fun. It is beyond "real" - it is there to amuse you and so it does. This movie is sarcastic, even to itself and indeed to the Fay Weldon novel that lies behind it.
Roseanne stars in her very best role ever as the ugly and poor Ruth Patchett who reveals herself as a superheroine in the vengeance department. To cast Roseanne in this role is a brilliant idea. She is obviously not afraid of being the most repulsive woman ever seen on video, and that only contributes to the laughs as she turns from the bearded lady into a business woman with a hard grip on her own destiny. Roseanne has always been accused of being a bad actress. I am not saying that she is a good one, but perhaps the character Ruth has a lot of Roseanne inside her - because her work here is in any way magnificent.
Meryl Streep on the other hand is absolutely faboulos. She has tried a few time to enter the world of comedy, most notably with the bizarre "Death Becones Her", but this might be her very best try in the genre. As the pink queen of romance, the Barbara Cartland of her generation, you might add, she sparkles with hysteria and selfconsciousness. Her Mary Fisher does make one of the funniest breakdowns as her "Love in the Rinse Cycle" fails as well as her relationship with Robert Patchett, Ruth's husband. Streep has the elegance that it takes to be - well, pink - but she is not afraid of tearing it down and plays the role with much physical courage.
Academy Award Winner Linda Hunt as always also makes a great appearance as Ruth's partner-in-crime Nurse Hooper. Along with Roseanne and Meryl Streep she benefits from her physical appearance, and all three of them changes as women in a very convincing way. For Linda Hunt, cookies does the trick, and her change from dry, bitter and hardworking to giggling business woman is very amusing indeed.
Finally I must say that the cinematography and editing of this movie is outstanding, as well as the musical contribution, e.g. the opening titles and the introduction of Ruth - it sure does follow the general irony of the story in a great way. Along with the extremely well-put dialogue this movie simply is - hilarious.
