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MOVIE OF THE WEEK July 26, 2024: THE FABULOUS FOUR

Jennifer Merin , , , , , , , , ,
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Sure, it’s hard not to think that making The Fabulous Four may have been an excuse for its quartet of (legitimately fabulous) stars to get together and have fun in Key West, but — so what? There are far worse reasons to make a movie, and the end result is a light, breezy female friendship comedy that feels kind of like Bridesmaids crossed with Book Club and celebrates the lifelong bonds between women.

Directed by Australian filmmaker Jocelyn Moorhouse and written by Ann Marie Allison and Jenna Milly, The Fabulous Four is the story of four women who’ve been friends since their college days/early 20s: Serious surgeon Lou (Susan Sarandon), vivacious would-be social media influencer Marilyn (Bette Midler), up-for-anything singer Alice (Megan Mullally), and botanist Kitty (Sheryl Lee Ralph). Marilyn and Lou have been estranged for years, but when the recently widowed Marilyn tells Alice and Kitty that — surprise! — she’s getting married again and wants them to come to Florida and be her bridesmaids, the other two trick Lou into joining them, hoping to spark a reconnection between her and Marilyn.

Things don’t go easily, of course — Lou still resents Marilyn for (as she sees it) “stealing” a man from her decades ago, and Marilyn thinks Lou needs to loosen up and live a little. But as wedding weekend shenanigans unfold, cocktails (and Kitty’s edibles…) are consumed, and truths are revealed, the women remember what made them fast friends so long ago. And it’s all set against the type of palm-tree-and-beach-heavy backdrop that will make you want to round up your own ride-or-die girlfriends and book a trip somewhere warm.

The four stars are indisputably talented women. Midler makes it clear that Marilyn has plenty of insecurities hiding beneath her TikTok-friendly facade; Sarandon is earnestly sincere as Lou, who’s worried that she won’t always be at the top of her professional game; and Ralph and Mullaly are mischievous in a way that makes it clear they’re having an absolute ball. It’s always a good thing to see women over the age of 60 represented positively on screen in roles that give them agency and charisma — in fact, you could even say it’s fabulous.– Betsy Bozdech

Team #MOTW’s comments:

Sandie Angulo Chen: The Fabulous Four is a fun and frothy tribute to enduring friendship starring Susan Sarandon, Bette Midler, Sheryl Lee Ralph, and Megan Mullally. As the four besties — two of whom have a tense relationship — reunite in Key West for Midler’s remarriage, each woman overcomes personal crises to be more fully supportive of one another. Director Jocelyn Moorhouse deftly tackles a range of subjects — from the fear of forced retirement to the realities of dating in your late 60s — with humor and grace. The four leads are all exceedingly talented — the movie is worth seeing just to hear Midler, Ralph, and Mullally harmonize — but Sarandon stands out for playing against type as a rule-following, child-free doctor who’s still nursing an old wound. This movie is a much-needed reminder that women over 60 are still deserving of adventure, romance, joy, and respect.

Pam Grady: Thirty years ago, Jocelyn Moorhouse produced the crowd-pleasing Muriel’s Wedding. Now, she revisits shenanigans around matrimony, this time as a director, with this buddy comedy centered around a fractured 50-year friendship. When buttoned up surgeon Lou (Susan Sarandon) lost her beau to bubbly Marilyn (Bette Midler) all those decades ago, she never forgave her bestie. But the guy that came between them died and Marilyn has relocated to Florida where she has already found a new man. Using subterfuge to lure cat lady spinster Lou to Marilyn’s home, their buddies Kitty (Sheryl Lee Ralph) and Alice (Megan Mullally) are determined these friends make up or at least star in some of Marilyn’s terrible TikTok videos. While not entirely convincing as four friends of half a century, the chemistry between the women is delightful as is the mild flirtation between Lou and a charming sailor/doctor (Timothy V. Murphy) who shares her love of Ernest Hemingway. The humor never rises above sitcom level – emphasized by Mullally playing a character with a strong resemblance to Will & Grace’s Karen – but it is diverting escapist fare and an excellent promotional tool for Key West. You gotta love those six-toed cats.

Sherin Nicole While watching The Fabulous Four, I imagined the movie happened after the executive producers, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Megan Mullally, and Susan Sarandon, got together for brunch. Amidst sparkling conversation and bubbly bellinis, they might have decided: ‘Let’s make a movie about us—something that reminds audiences how funny and fabulous we continue to be.’ Maybe that’s when they called Bette and she said, “Bet!” That’s a tall tale for sure but that’s the origin story I imagine. The resulting romp is a girl-gang comedy from the legendary girlbosses of stage and screen.

Nikki Fowler: Age ain’t nothing but a number in the laugh inducing comedy The Fabulous Four starring Bette Midler as a soon to be second bride who is looking for a new leg on life while obsessing over how much fun she can have as a content creator with her selfie stick on an adventure to claim her life long besties as bridesmaids on a girls trip to Key West. Along for the ride are her gal pals played by Sheryl Lee Ralph, Megan Mullally and Susan Sarandon who are a mix of everything you’d expect in the personalities of college friends who have reunited decades later. There’s parasailing gone wrong, spiked gummies, some emotional girl riffs but not without a lot of Kumbaya and a new level of what it means to be friends and a TikToker after your “so called prime.” Buckle up and enjoy a realistic and fun adulting type of story with the legends we love in a tropical locale with an ocean view vibe.

Leslie Combemale Whether folks love and know Key West or not, The Fabulous Four really evokes Hemingway’s balmy stomping grounds. It also celebrates female friendship and polydactyl cats, and allows for four cinematic divas to come together for a fun and silly romp. It’s perfect for that time you’re wanting a light, sweet story, especially if you’re a fan of one or all of the film’s leads, Susan Sarandon, Megan Mullally, Bette Midler, and Sheryl Lee Ralph, and really, who isn’t?

Jennifer Merin The Fabulous Four is a comedy about best friends, female needs, objectives, perspectives and aging. Directed by Australian filmmaker Jocelyn Moorhouse and scripted by Ann Marie Allison and Jenna Milly, it stars a quartet of iconic actresses — Bette Midler. Susan Sarandon, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Megan Mullally — and they are, indeed, fabulous. And, not surprisingly, they bring their full on appealing zaniness to their quirky characters. And, when the antics are over, it all seems to work out for the best for everyone. The story involves a reunion in scenic Key West, Florida. Within that Ernest Hemingway-infused environment, there is anticipation of one of the bestie’s impending wedding, a struggle to resolve longstanding resentments, the highs of cannabis-infused chocolates, gender assertion acceptance, overcoming loneliness and the thrill of paragliding. It’s a somewhat hectic plot, but if it seems from time to time to be predictable, there are silly unpredictable twists to keep you engaged and giggling. Bottom line: The Fabulous Four is fun. Timewise, this feels like a very good moment in which to enjoy a fun femme-helmed, femme-centric film with stellar performances by four senior (status and age) actresses who are still in their prime and fabulous.

Liz Whittemore Bette Midler, Megan Mullally, Susan Sarandon, and Sheryl Lee Ralph star as a fractured group of best friends who reunite for an impending wedding in Key West. The Fabulous Four is a film with endless charm, hilarious performances (I’m looking at you in particular, Miss Mullally), and chemistry for the gods. As we follow the women on their journey to reconnection, Marilyn’s TikTok account works double duty as a quirky transition device and an enticing ad for Key West. Color me intrigued! Amidst the laughter and shenanigans, The Fabulous Four teaches us life lessons. Time is a thief. Grudges waste energy. Don’t let them keep you from living. Forgiveness is a gift.

Cate Marquis Bette Midler, Susan Sarandon, Sheryl Lee Ralph and Megan Mullally star in a gal pal comedy about four best friends since college who are gathering in Key West for the wedding of one of them, Marilyn (Midler). Recently widowed, Marilyn has fallen in love after a whirlwind romance and wants her best friends to be there as her bridesmaids. Well, three of the friends have remained best buddies but the fourth, Lou (Sarandon), long ago had a falling out with her one-time bestie Marilyn, after Marilyn ran off with her boyfriend and married him. Of course, Kitty (Ralph) and Alice (Mullally) have to engineer a reconciliation, and so they trick Lou who is a into coming along, by telling cat-loving, Hemingway fan, that she’s won one of Ernest Hemingway’s six-toed cats. AS with the recent plethora of these older gal pal comedies starring famous actresses, there are crazy plans and hi-jinks, a bit of romance and something about second chances and new adventures. But director Jocelyn Moorhouse and writers Ann Marie Alison and Jenna Milly improve on the formula, making their comedy more relaxed, and more natural feeling, by keeping one foot grounded in reality and not completely packing in formulaic and far-fetched comedy bits. The Fabulous Four is still escapist summer fare that fits into the gal pal comedy wheelhouse, but it is more entertaining, funnier and more enjoyable than most, while featuring some truly fabulous women (and two of Sarandon’s cats). It might make you want to kick back with a mojito on a beach, maybe with a Hemingway novel.

FILM DETAILS:

Title: The Fabulous Four

Director: Jocelyn Moorhouse

Release Date: July 26, 2024

Running Time: 99 minutes

Language: English

Screenwriters: Ann Marie Allison and Jenna Milly

Distribution Company: Bleecker Street Media

AWFJ Movie of the Week Panel Members: Sandie Angulo Chen, Betsy Bozdech, Leslie Combemale, Nikki Fowler, Pam Grady, Loren King, Cate Marquis, Jennifer Merin, Nell Minow, Sherin Nicole, Liz Whittemore

Previous #MOTW Selections

Other Movies Opening This Week

Edited by Jennifer Merin

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Jennifer Merin

Jennifer Merin is the Film Critic for Womens eNews and contributes the CINEMA CITIZEN blog for and is managing editor for AWFJ.org, the online magazine of the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, of which she is President. She has served as a regular critic and film-related interviewer for The New York Press and About.com. She has written about entertainment for USA Today, The L.A. Times, US Magazine, Ms. Magazine, Endless Vacation Magazine, NY Daily News, New York Post, SoHo News and other publications. After receiving her MFA from Tisch School of the Arts (Grad Acting), Jennifer performed at the O'Neill Theater Center's Playwrights Conference, Long Wharf Theater, American Place Theatre and LaMamma, where she worked with renown Japanese director, Shuji Terayama. She subsequently joined Terayama's theater company in Tokyo, where she also acted in films. Her journalism career began when she was asked to write about Terayama for The Drama Review. She became a regular contributor to the Christian Science Monitor after writing an article about Marketta Kimbrell's Theater For The Forgotten, with which she was performing at the time. She was an O'Neill Theater Center National Critics' Institute Fellow, and then became the institute's Coordinator. While teaching at the Universities of Wisconsin and Rhode Island, she wrote "A Directory of Festivals of Theater, Dance and Folklore Around the World," published by the International Theater Institute. Denmark's Odin Teatret's director, Eugenio Barba, wrote his manifesto in the form of a letter to "Dear Jennifer Merin," which has been published around the world, in languages as diverse as Farsi and Romanian. Jennifer's culturally-oriented travel column began in the LA Times in 1984, then moved to The Associated Press, LA Times Syndicate, Tribune Media, Creators Syndicate and Arcamax Publishing. She's been news writer/editor for ABC Radio Networks, on-air reporter for NBC, CBS Radio and for Westwood One's America In the Morning. She is a member of the Critics Choice Association in the Film, Documentary and TV branches and a voting member of the Black Reel Awards. For her AWFJ archive, type "Jennifer Merin" in the Search Box (upper right corner of screen).