The Banger Sisters

In his directorial debut, writer Dolman goes against the Hollywood grain and gives two actresses in their 50s juicy roles they can sink their teeth into. For this alone it's possible to overlook the contrivances of a meager script, and to instead enjoy the wonderful chemistry that Hawn and Sarandon produce. The high-concept screenplay has two former groupies reuniting after 20 years. Goldie is Suzette, still a free spirit. Susan is Vinnie, who has abandoned her former, carefree existence and is now a suburban wife and mother. It's not long till their reunion has a lasting effect on each other, one of the more obvious and sentimental ploys in the story. As predictable as most of The Banger Sisters is, however, there's a degree of fun in watching these two women strut their stuff, and they certainly make the most of a line and a situation -- whether it's funny or not.

David Bleiler