Comments on: When a Man Loves a Woman

By: Gilbert Pajela

Gilbert Pajela — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 06:58:33 +0000

Review by Gilbert Pajela for When a Man Loves a Woman Rating: This is actually a very good movie, in spite of the fact that I personally hate Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia. I was about to stop watching after seeing the first 15 minutes, but after sticking with it I thought the movie was excellent not just because it addresses issues with alcoholism, but issues about conflicts in family life and barriers to communication, which happen to be quite common in general.Even if you remove the topic of alcoholism completely, you can see how the movie deals with issues like what happens when the person you are married to is no longer the person you married? What do you do when someone you love is hiding things not just from others but from themselves? What issues come up when a couple starts to see a licensed practitioner? What is it like to enter a support group, especially when you have judgments about the types of people that make up the support group?I would have given this movie five stars if not for my personal distaste for Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia. But this movie really opened my eyes, and perhaps more importantly, my heart, and I would recommend it to anyone who has experienced a troubled relationship, due to alcohol or not.

By: D. Mikels

D. Mikels — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 06:03:36 +0000

Review by D. Mikels for When a Man Loves a Woman Rating: I believe that addiction can only be overcome by love. The demons of addiction thrive and perpetuate in a black vacuum of mental and emotional despair; only the steadfast love and support of others can exorcise them. And indeed it is love that ultimately breaks through the shackles of alcoholism in director Luis Mandoki's gripping film, WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN. Michael and Alice Green (Andy Garcia and Meg Ryan) are a young couple deeply in love--so much so that Michael tends to downplay his wife's growing dependence on alcohol. Only when Alice's addiction plunges her down a desperate, dysfunctional vortex--from rummaging through trash looking for vodka bottles to passing out in the shower--does Michael come to the jarring conclusion that he is on the verge of losing his wife to an insidious disease. Alice is placed in rehab, and Michael's devotion is put to the test: from his discomfort with support groups to Alice's subsequent aloof and detached demeanor. Life after addiction will not be easy, for Alice, Michael, or their two daughters.But again, love never is easy.Garcia and Ryan give compelling, realistic performances. I also was moved by the performance of young Tina Majorino, who plays Garcia's stepdaughter Jessica. Over the course of the movie, father and stepdaughter form an emotional bond as they attempt to keep their fragile family together, and the strain on young Jessica shows. I was shocked to learn comedic satirist Al Franken cowrote the screenply; what a departure from his usual material, but Franken obviously knows his subject matter here. WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN is anything but a "feel good" film, but there is little good to be gleaned from a story about addiction. But this movie succeeds through its powerful depiction of devotion and love--a power that will keep the viewer riveted and engrossed from beginning to end.
--D. Mikels

By: Gretchen

Gretchen — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 05:45:15 +0000

Review by Gretchen for When a Man Loves a Woman Rating: Coming from an alcoholic family I was able to relate to the children in the movie. I think Meg Ryan played the part perfectly and Andy Garcia did a wonderful job as well. It was a different look at a serious disease, the fact that the mother was an alcoholic.Meg Ryan (Alice Green) plays a wife and mother of two, who has an out of control drinking problem, that takes her almost dying in the shower to make her realize that she has a problem. Andy Garcia (Michael Green) plays her husband who knows that she has a problem, but just is not ready to face the fact that she needs help or she is going to hurt herself or one of the children. When Alice finally does get the help she needs, Michael doesn't cope well with the fact that she now has other people to turn to when things get rough. Michael does try to go to a support meeting for family memebers, but just sees it as a bunch of people sitting around feeling sorry for each other. He thinks that things will just 'go back to normal' now that she has gotten help and just isn't that simple.Although the effects that her drinking had on the kids was not addressed, I felt that it touched most of the bases that a family goes through after recovery.You will need a box of tissues by your side for this tear jerker.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 05:15:10 +0000

Review by Kelly for When a Man Loves a Woman Rating: I thought this was going to be a romantic comedy, but was disappointed to find this a dark and depressing drama. It is a story about how being an alcoholic can affect a family and the journey they have to take to stay together. Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia play a married couple, and Meg is the one with the alcohol addiction. The saying about hitting rock bottom would definitely apply to this film. The audience sees Meg slowly spiral completely out of control, and how low she has to go until she finally is ready to reach out for help. Her family has to come to terms with the fact that she will not be the same person she was as a drunk. When Meg emerges from rehab, everyone is on edge with her - not only her family, but friends and acquaintances too. Everyone has adjustments to make.

By: Rob Darrah

Rob Darrah — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 04:58:36 +0000

Review by Rob Darrah for When a Man Loves a Woman Rating: When I first saw the title of this movie, I was thinking that this was going to be a romantic comedy. But, to my surprise, it was so much more. Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia are good as Alice and Michael Green. I liked the fact that the movie dealt with Alice's alcoholism. She realizes that she has a major problem with alcohol. Eventually, she goes into rehabilitation.I'm glad that they didn't stop the movie with her coming out of rehab and life will be all wonderful and fuzzy. What happens is that with Alice sober, Michael doesn't have anyone to rescue anymore. It is good to watch how their relationship changes with Alice's new found sobriety. Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia do a great job in showing how alcoholism can effectively mess up a relationship and family. It's been a while since I have seen this movie, but there are some wonderful supporting performances to mention. Tina Majorino as the oldest daughter, Jess, is astonishing. She shows a lot of emotion for the daughter of an alcoholic. I think that she could have easily been nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Also, Lauren Tom as Amy, the Green's nanny/housekeeper, is incredible. Her character does not really like Michael Green very much. The scene where Michael begs her to come back and help the family is great. Amy definitely does not make it easy for him.This movie is definitely not light-hearted fair. In fact, I would really not recommend this for children. But, for adults, I recommend this movie because it tackles alcoholism head on, especially with some not so pleasant views of Alice's alcoholism.