The First Wives Club came out in 1996 and made 105 million in the U.S. It was a popular comedy about three women who decide to get revenge on their exes. The best way for them to do that is to strike their wallets. The film stars Diane Keaton, Bette Midler, and Goldie Hawn. It also features Maggie Smith, Victor Garber, Sarah Jessica Parker, Elizabeth Berkely, Stockard Channing, Stephen Collins, Dan Hedaya, and Marcia Gay Harden. I knew about this movie and heard about it from time to time.

I enjoyed The First Wives Club. I thought it was a fun movie and has a great cast. It was funny too. I have not seen 9 to 5 yet which is similar in the sense of being a revenge comedy. I am aware that film’s plot was about disgruntled employees getting revenge on their boss but its still a revenge comedy. The most recent revenge comedy I have seen is Horrible Bosses and Horrible Bosses 2 which was years ago. I liked the characters a lot. I thought Diane Keaton, Bette Midler, and Goldie Hawn had good chemistry together. It took me a minute to adjust to seeing Bette Midler with dark hair. I am used to seeing her with her natural hair color. Bette Midler always shines and that was the case here. The three of them stand on their own just as much as they do when they are together. That is not always the case with films or television. The rest of the ensemble does a solid job as well. I have seen Victor Garber in many things over the years. It’s always interesting to see him in different roles and when he was younger. I have seen him in You Again, Legally Blonde and from the television shows The Flash and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow where he played Professor Martin Stein who was one half of the hero Firestorm. I did not know much about The First Wives Club ahead of time including who was in the film. I was surprised to learn Stephen Collins was in the movie. His involvement did not ruin the movie for me. Stephen Collins is most known for starring on the TV show 7^th Heaven for the WB and CW. Interestingly this movie came out a few weeks before 7^th Heaven premiered. I also did not know that he did many projects before 7^th Heaven. I figured any prior work was films from time to time and television work. It seemed he was popping up in movies a little more after 7^th Heaven ended before his scandals ruined his career. All of the actors did a good job being the exes who wronged the women.

I noticed some similarities between this and the show Desperate Housewives.

SPOILER ALERT

The film opens with a character who decides to end her life and that is what brings the main characters together. They see each other while attending the funeral. Letters were sent to them by the character who killed herself. On the show Desperate Housewives, one of the wives commits suicide and that is what kicks off the mystery for Season 1 of the show. That character also served as the narrator for the series. The only real difference between The First Wives Club and Desperate Housewives is there was not a high body count. The character who killed herself at the beginning of the movie is the only character who died. Desperate Housewives, by the time it ended its eight season run, had a high body count. There were some twists in the movie which were enjoyable. It was also nice seeing what happened to everyone at the end.

Another thing I thought was interesting was seeing Sarah Jessica Parker who has a small part in the movie. This was a few years after Hocus Pocus which she starred alongside Bette Midler. I always find those small things fascinating.

The First Wives Club is a fun and funny movie that has a great ensemble and three strong leading women. No matter the size of the role, everyone did a good job. I am glad I got to see this movie and I understand why it did so well.