The Fabulous Four (2024). Starring: Bette Midler, Susan Sarandon, Megan Mullally, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Bruce Greenwood, Timothy V Murphy. Director: Jocelyn Morehouse. 99 minutes. Rated M.
This movie is targeted towards a certain older demographic, has a couple of laugh-out loud lines, occasional truths and is a bit of colourful froth and bubble. It tries hard with its cultural ticks – or tics – such as TikTok newbie (Midler) posting addictively at # WamBamThankyouNan. There are lots of nods to Ernest Hemingway, but the film also lands hard on jaded tropes such as the older single woman as a mad cat lady (Sarandon).
Essentially, the story is about four college friends who reunite in Key West, Florida (although filming actually took place in Savannah) for the nuptials of Marilyn (Midler) who is getting married again, six months after the death of her husband of 48 years. Her friends Alice (Mullally) and Kitty (Ralph) have plotted to get the other friend, Lou, a heart surgeon (Sarandon) to come along on the pretence that Lou has won a six-clawed cat in a competition they entered her into. She and Marilyn have been estranged and this is the only way they can get the four of them back together. Their intentions are good.
Bette Midler is Bette Midler playing the character we are all used to – always talking, centre-of-attention, jokey, hiding behind that big smile, doing silly things for a laugh. The schtick still works and we can never not like her. However, much as this is a comedy, there were moments that went too far for this reviewer. Perhaps I am showing my age (I am of that certain demographic) but the stripper scene and his grinding torso was unnecessary and the surfeit of drinking like undergrads seemed to make the older ladies seem a bit desperate and dateless. That certainly was not the case for Alice who was something of nymphomaniac/cougar. Kitty was still into marijuana as a relaxant and this almost proved disastrous in the paragliding scene.
The movie starts with Kitty being given a retirement home brochure by her daughter and there are the asides and jokes in the movie about the perceived indignities of old age. This sets the tone for a movie that underscores the notion that age is just a number and that acting your age can be appropriate at some times and repressive at others.
Love and its various incarnations are lightly examined in the narrative. Marilyn is on the rebound and needs to have a man in her life, hence the sudden second marriage to Bradley (Greenwood), a handsome man not to be trusted. Lou has been resolutely single, but there is hope for her with the captain (Murphy).
The fabulous four are followed around by three young things who are in awe of Lou who has suddenly become a social media star because she stopped a thief with a sex toy slingshot and is being feted as Dr Love on Instagram. The film heaves itself into the moment with these touches, but also nod to the 1980s with a cameo appearance by Michael Bolton, no longer of the long locks, but looking pretty good for his age. (Can I even say that?)
The friendship between Marilyn and Lou needs repair and there is dialogue to do with opening your heart and not holding grudges. Other dialogue speaks of time as a thief and what happened to the promise of youth. Joan Didion’s reference to living her life without making any adjustments whatsoever to ageing seems to be at the heart of this film. Age does not stop love or adventure or fun. Perhaps, there is a little too much emphasis on ageing disgracefully. We can still rock’n’roll but we don’t have to keep up with the kids in the kitchen.
There is a showdown between Marilyn and Lou just before the wedding where wounds are exposed and truths told. With sighs of relief all round, the wedding does not go ahead and is transformed into a big party with a cheesy musical dance number set to a reprise of I can see clearly now the rain has gone as the feel-good finale. This movie was fun, a bit of fairy floss rather than fabulous, but a sideshow for the big talents of Midler and Sarandon.
Release date: 1 August