Rated PG-13 for some nudity and off-color humor.
104 Minutes
Directed By: Robert Zemeckis
Written By: Martin Donovan and David Koepp
Staring: Goldie Hawn, Meryl Streep, Bruce Willis, Isabella Rossellini, Ian Ogilvy, Adam Storke, Nancy Fish, and Alaina Reed Hall
This is life’s ultimate cruelty. It offers us a taste of youth and vitality, and then it makes us witness our own decay. -Lisle Von Rhuman
Review
Forget about the stellar cast here, Robert Zemeckis, the director (Back To The Future, Romancing The Stone, Who Framed Roger Rabbit) forgets that he’s be given a top notch cast and structures the focus of the film on the effects and costumes. Even with a lack of attention to what the actors can bring to the table;Hawn, Willis, and Streep make this twisted black doomsday comedy utterly funny and even a bit disturbing.
Two women are fixated on the same man, and strangely not one that seems all that appealing. All disturbed to their inner cores the vain and beautiful actress is living the life the overweight writer is not. Driven by the desire for beauty and fame, the author suddenly 
appears a size 2 and ravishingly gorgeous. The competition for Willis begins and each have discovered a magical elixir that promises eternal youth, life and loveliness. While the potion does deliver it’s eternal beauty and youth, there are side effects each woman never conceived, making the story an almost cartoon effects ridden film.
The special effects do distract from the story and the performances, but lets be honest this film doesn’t appear to have the qualities of something that takes itself too seriously. The premise of the film is outrageous, and the execution has a severe tongue in cheek. Just because the comedy was taken to such a dark level doesn’t mean it wasn’t successful in delivering it’s humor. Zemeckis did a phenomenal job of integrating the decaying bodies, and violent battles, not to mention Hawn’s fat suit, naturally enough into the story to seem plausible. No, there wasn’t a depth of heart and soul behind the scenes, but even in it’s superficial madness it did succeed at being funny. The only problem was it had the potential to be even funnier.
Having such a talented cast gave Zemeckis even greater tools to utilize that for some reason he simply left alone. Though the film 
does pass itself off as witty satire on Hollywood Stars and the obsessive desire to do anything to remain beautiful and young at all costs, it’s relevance isn’t fully explored. It was a hugely missed alternative way of viewing the film. It could have made it’s point about America’s obsession with youth and Hollywood icons without patronizing the viewers while still entertaining them. Unfortunately the special effects were a constant distraction from anything of worthy substance.
This film is unquestionably funny, but it missed the opportunity to be both funny and smart. I always enjoy watching it but I can’t help but always wish it was better. Death Becomes Her has a specific audience and may appeal to men who are domineered by women and the women in the world desperate to retain their youth. Hopefully they can laugh at the films jesting rather than take it as a personal attack, though one could see how easy that would be. This film has an enthralling darkness, and an underlying layer of wit and eloquence. It’s execution does leave something to be desired, but is a fun movie overall.
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You are most welcome Rainbow. Anytime you have a request!
that was fast
I’ve always viewed this in the light of the crap Bruce Willis did post Die Hard and Pre Pulp Fiction. This, Hudson Hawk, The Butchers Wife, Bonfire Of The Vanities and others should have killed his career. I’m glad it didn’t though.
That aside, I caught this on cable about a year ago, only the second time I’d watched it after the theater. I was really surprised just how mediocre this was against how I remembered it. I think I’d been kinder to it in my memory than it deserved.
Everyone just seems so ‘dead’, oddly enough. Just a bunch of very good and okay actors going though the paces. Heather had it right, all the ingredients were there for something great, but it just seems like a half effort on everyone’s part. Can’t really pin it down more than that.
Heather was kind to it though. I’d give it 1.5 or 2 at the most.
Marc
Maybe I was a little easy on it, but I felt the same way. I haven’t seen it in ages and was going on the memories of years ago. Perhaps if I watched it again I’d be more harsh. Oh well, won’t know till that happens!
Heather
The more I think about it – which I’m really not happy spending brain juice on – the more it seems like everyone was just kinda passing the ball on the film.
I can see Zemeckis thinking – It’s Meryl freaking Streep, this will be GOLD!
I can see Meryl Streep thinking – it’s freaking Zemeckis, dude knows his comedy and special effects, this will be GOLD!
I can see Willis thinking it’s Meryl freaking Streep, Roger freaking Zemeckis and the SOCK IT TO ME GIRL, this is going to be a paycheck!!
I think they just brought their ‘C+’ game expecting everyone else’s ‘A’ game to carry the flick.
And your lack of even mentioning Goldie Hawn is usually overwhelmingly charismatic is pretty significant, if you forgot that she was even in it. Actually what I remember most vividly is the fat suit she wore, the hole in her stomach, and Streep twisting her neck around. All special effects, and Willis using none was a total non player.
She’s the SOCK IT TO ME GIRL……..sad Laugh In reference…….yeah…….I’m old……..I was watching them in re-runs at least……
you all dont know what you’re talking about. this script was hilarious. a freakin laugh riot. I appriciate dark comedies like this, and the entire world that was created set a mood for this movie, that mediocrity haunts us all. That death can be just as interesdting as life… And the consequences to each of the characters actions and a bit of mysticism made the story completely entertaining… loved it. 3.5 out 4.