Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.0

The First Wives Club Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman July 30, 2022

Director Hugh Wilson's (Police Academy) 1996 picture The First Wives Club, based on the 1992 Olivia Goldsmith novel of the same name, seems primed and determined to start a movement through its story, centered on women's empowerment. Whether the film played a major role the advancement of that cause in the late 90s and on through the following decades is for history to decide, but the picture as it is, and as it plays in 2022, is a solid if not somewhat flawed little bit of entertainment workmanship, delivering a satisfying story, if not one populated by trite dramatic arcs and predictable plays, dotted by hit-or-miss humor amidst some lovely performances and a deluge of interesting guest and cameo appearances.

Annie (Diane Keaton) is separated from her husband Aaron (Stephen Collins). She's in therapy with Dr. Rosen (Marcia Gay Harden); whether it's helping or not is anyone's guess. Elise (Goldie Hawn) is an actress in her mid-40s. She's hoping to hang on to her once prominent screen career through a deluge of plastic surgery to keep her looking young. She is separated from her husband, Bill (Victor Garber), a film producer who has moved on from her both on the screen and in the bedroom, favoring the younger and spunkier Phoebe (Elizabeth Berkley). Brenda (Bette Midler) is a single mother whose husband Morty (Dan Hedaya) has also left her for a younger model (Sarah Jessica Parker). When Annie, Elise, and Brenda, longtime friends from college, learn that their friend and classmate Cynthia (Stockard Channing) has committed suicide, the friends bond once again in middle age and, as they see the similar strings of failed romantic prospects and age encroach on their lives and happiness, form "The First Wives Club" as an organized means of settling old scores with old flames.

The film works hard to seamlessly blur the line between serious character drama and lighthearted character-driven humor. It works. At times. Here, the deeper story currents and lighter gags blend seamlessly together. There, they are like the proverbial oil and water. The story never develops with enough muscular novelty to overcome the feeling of triteness, and at times the humor appears to be covering up for the dramatic shortcomings. it is not that the core idea is not sound, it is that the written execution leaves a bit to be desired. It flows through some predictable elements, and the core life situations only ever seem to develop and progress within the parameters set forth in the familiarly well-worn cinema playbook.

Unequivocally, the film’s top asset is not its story or themes but rather the veritable who’s who cast appearing in primary, secondary, and even tertiary roles. It’s an incredible ensemble for what is a well-meaning and well positioned but ultimately somewhat disappointingly linear and predictably flat film. Still, every shot, practically, is filled with a familiar name or face; the film gets a lot of mileage just from the smorgasbord of talent, but it is, of course, the dynamic trio of Keaton, Midler, and Hawn that steal the show. These ladies are at the top of their game, individually and collectively, soaking up the evident chemistry, digging deep into their characters (to be applauded considering the film’s otherwise somewhat superficial and straightforward narrative), and understanding the larger plot dynamics and propellants pushing them forward. Even if they are at times stuck in unimaginative situations, scenarios, and dramas, this dream trio certainly elevates every scene – good, bad, or somewhere in the middle – through sheer force of acting excellence alone.

The First Wives Club Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

As with most of the "Paramount Presents" line, The First Wives Club looks terrific on Blu-ray. The picture holds to a steady, pleasing natural grain structure. It's elegant and gentle, true to the source and creating a handsome filmic appearance for the home theater experience. Details are naturally sharp and true. The image barely wants for any additional resolution gains, finding practically perfect skin and clothing clarity in every shot. Location details are likewise elegantly presented, including various high-end interior and satisfyingly rich and complex city exteriors. Colors are lively and well saturated. Contrast is neutral, vividness is apparent, and depth and accuracy are first-class. Black levels are beautifully deep, whites are crisp, and skin tones look spot-on natural. The very odd pop and speckle are in evidence, but the image is otherwise free of both source and encode problems. This is a delight of a transfer from Paramount.

The First Wives Club Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Paramount brings The First Wives Club to Blu-ray with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The score is subtle and elegantly detailed, presenting with fluid and wide spacing across the front. Surrounds are sparsely engaged for music or ambience, but the front handles the necessary content with grace, detail, and lifelike engagement. This is primarily a dialogue heavy track, and the spoken word is always presented with natural front center placement, good prioritization, and lifelike clarity. Though it may not be a monstrous, powerhouse sort of track, listeners will appreciate the simple sophistication at work with this one.

The First Wives Club Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray release of The First Wives Club includes an interview and a trailer. No DVD copy is included with purchase. However, Paramount has included a digital copy voucher. This release is the 32nd in the "Paramount Presents" line and includes the slipcover with fold-open poster artwork.

• Filmmaker Focus with Screenwriter Robert Harling (1080p, 10:57): The film's writer explores the original source novel and translating it to the screen, the material's relatability, the darker open, casting and performances, the late Ivana Trump's cameo, the score, ideas for a sequel, the picture's legacy, and more.
• Theatrical Trailer (480i, 4x3, 2:28).

The First Wives Club Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

For its dramatic shortcomings, The First Wives Club is certainly an agreeable watch. It does not overextend its welcome and the lead trio is a treat. Paramount's Blu-ray is disappointingly short on extras, but the video quality is delectable, and the audio is very good, too. Recommended.