Review: Without Men (2011)

Directed by: Gabriela Tagliavini | 95 minutes | comedy, romance | Actors: Kate del Castillo, Eva Longoria, Oscar Nuñez, Christian Slater, Mónica Huarte, Yvette Yates, Maria Conchita Alonso, Guillermo Díaz, Paul Rodriguez, Camryn Manheim, Judy Reyes, Fernanda Romero, Reynaldo Pacheco, Angel Amaral, Douglas Spain

The marketing department of “Without Men” has a smart look! Without putting in too much effort, they can sell a movie to the man (and woman). A movie where Eva “Desperate Housewives” Longoria has a lesbian scene, sells itself! Sit back and send an email out the door talking about this “steamy scene” and you’re done! Whole tribes will probably go wild with this recommendation, but unfortunately one scene does not make a film …

“Without Men” is about Rosalba (Longoria), the mayor’s wife. When her husband dies, this lady decides to take over. From now on, women are the boss in the small Colombian village. Lesbian relationships develop, because there are no more men and the women also appear to be perfectly capable of completing chores such as carpentry and changing lamps. Long live emancipation! However, the village is startled by the arrival of an American reporter (Christian Slater). So a man. The battle between the sexes suddenly flares up.

Well. If you are looking for a very blue (light) sexist comedy with weak acting and a lack of humor then this film is recommended. Yes, that was sarcastic. “Without Men” is a poorly made film with no jokes, tension and an infantile plot. That Longoria and Slater could sink even deeper in terms of film choice is the biggest surprise of this film. That prudish lesbian scene with Kate Del Castillo is also nothing. So no reason to watch this cinematographic misfit is warranted.

The soundtrack isn’t captivating either, and the cast’s gameplay leaves a lot to be desired. Slater acts on autopilot. Something he has been guilty of for years. A shame, because this once-promising actor (who made his debut very strongly in “In the Name of the Rose”) has slipped considerably and is now living in the B-film circuit. Longoria has to rely mainly on her appearance. Outside of “Desperate Housewives” she has not achieved much. New fans will not tap into them with this failure. Missed opportunity. Only the marketing department is the winner …