THE BANGER SISTERS
US, 2002, 98 minutes, Colour.
Goldie Hawn, Susan Sarandon, Geoffrey Rush, Erika Christensen, Robin Thomas, Eva Amurri.
Directed by Bob Dolman.
As a matter of historical interest, this was Goldie Hawn’s last film. She had been a star for more than 40 years, winning an Oscar for Cactus Flower in 1969. She had a strong career as a flighty blonde in such interesting films as Death Becomes Her and The First Wives’ Club.
Susan Sarandon had been acting for 40 years, a strong reputation for serious performances, but also with the light touch, especially with such films as Thelma and Louise, winning an Oscar in 1995 for Dead Man Walking as Sister Helen Prejean.
The story is slight, Goldie Hawn’s Suzette losing her job at a disco, deciding on a whim to visit her friend, Vinnie, in Phoenix, Arizona, teaming up with an author, played by Geoffrey Rush, on the way. While there is Goldie Hawn old-style tumour, there is the humour that Vinnie has become a very respectable citizen, Lavinia, married to a lawyer, with two children. Instead of the perhaps predictable clash between the two, what actually happens is that Vinnie goes down to the basement, discovers photos from the past, cuts her hair, puts on old clothes, goes out on the town with Suzette and transforms, much to the surprise of her husband and daughters.
An easy-going comedy relying on the talents of the stars.
1. A popular comedy, for older audiences, women’s audiences?
2. The strong cast, their careers, talent for drama, for comedy?
3. Los Angeles, the Whiskey a Go Go, on the road through California to Arizona? The city of Phoenix? Homes, city scenes, clubs? The musical score?
4. The presence of Goldie Hawn as Suzette, working at the Whiskey a Go Go club, being fired, stranded, her age, experience, her whim, to go to Phoenix, to be reunited with Vinnie, the groupies, the bands, the memories, the possibility for re-living the past? Driving, the encounter with Harry, the author, his story? In Phoenix, the encounter with Hannah, Harry’s hotel room, the drugs, Hannah being sick?
5. Going to see Vinnie, finding that she was Lavinia, the perfect mother and wife, her children saying she could never do and had never done anything wrong? Her husband, Raymond, the lawyer? Well-off, the spacious home, lifestyle? Husband and daughters?
6. The effect of Suzette’s presence? Vinnie going to the basement, the memories, as groupies, the photos, the stars’ penises? Her decision to let off steam, transform herself, cutting her hair, the clothes from the past, going out on the town, dancing, the effect of the night out? Her transformation?
7. The effect on Raymond, on the daughters – and herself? Her future?
8. Harry, the story about his father, his work, the hotel? The attraction to Suzette? Her becoming his muse and returning to Los Angeles with her?
