19 years after Mel Gibson accidentally electrocuted himself in pantyhose and began to hear women’s thoughts in Nancy Meyers’s hit, What Women Want, we now have a gender swap to get some insight on What Men Want.
This film follows a successful female sports agent, Ali Davis (Taraji P. Henson) who gains the ability to hear the inner thoughts of men with the hopes of using this power to sign NBA’s next superstar and rise to the top of her agency.
Although there are some good laughs, What Men Want wasn’t exactly what I wanted. There are plenty of flaws and it felt overly predictable. I was really hoping for some take charge boss female moments to take this formulaic movie to the next level, however, What Men Want contains an overdose of chick flick cliches (and unnecessary fart jokes) that make the substantial progressive scenes feel inauthentic.
What is authentic is Henson who is a spitfire of charisma and energy that radiates on screen. She is a protagonist worth rooting for with impeccable comedic presence. What can’t Hensen do?
There are some enjoyable performances including Josh Brener’s sassy assistant character, Wendi McLendon-Covey’s Jesus loving gal pal as well as a small role by Pete Davidson.
Final Thoughts: It’s mindless and lacks substance, but Taraji P. Hensen is a joy to watch on screen
Heather's Hot Takes 