日历女孩 Calendar Girls review by SARAH CHAUNCEY

Expectations have been high for Calendar Girls, touted as the female version of The Full Monty, but based on a true story. In the American cinematic world, women over 40 rarely exist, except as mothers, and almost never as love interests or objects of public adoration (Diane Keaton notwithstanding). Then again, the British have always been more realistic in their casting, consistently choosing talent over appearance, and doing a far better job than American cinema of reflecting reality. In this case, though, the story actually happened.
Chris (Helen Mirren) and Annie (Julie Waters) belong to the Rhylstone Women's Institute in Yorkshire, an anachronistic ladies' organization that purports to exist for "enlightenment, fun, and friendship." Except that "enlightenment" more often than not means weekly speakers talking on subjects such as the history of broccoli. They sit in back of the meetings and chuckle like schoolchildren, but they still attend faithfully every Thursday night, out of a sense of duty to their mothers. That's right: mother issues are omnipresent, even when you're over 50.

When Annie's husband John (renowned stage actor John Alderton) dies from leukemia, the women decide to raise money to buy a new couch for the "relatives room" in the hospital where he was treated. Through a series of mildly humorous events, the rebellious Chris determines that the annual W.I. calendar should feature tastefully nude photographs of members of the W.I., with the proceeds going to the hospital. Naturally, this doesn't sit well with the prudish traditionalists in the organization, nor with Chris's teenage son and any number of people in their small-town community.

When the calendar becomes an international hit, the consequences strain myriad relationships, including the lifelong bond between Annie and Chris. Far better than most "showbiz" films, Calendar Girls is notable for its look at the dubious honor of celebrity. As well, for Annie, the success is bittersweet, in that it comes while she is still in the deepest stages of bereavement.

We see the women as nudes, as heroines, and as icons, but never are they ualized. In some ways, it's a disappointment, and it's one of the biggest differences between Calendar Girls and The Full Monty. On the other hand, that's not the point of this film. For most of the women who participated, simply removing their clothes was a huge breakthrough. For others, like Ruth (Penelope Wilton), the experience was the catalyst that inspired her to finally stand up to her jackass of a husband.

Although it's wonderful to see a collection of women in their 50s and 60s finally get recognition for their beauty, this is not your average collection of suburban retirees. With a couple of exceptions, these are unusually attractive women who have aged very well. Sure, the muscle tone and skin might not be what they used to (especially because, unlike in Hollywood, these women have not had to go under the knife in order to remain working), but rarely has a group of post-menopausal women looked so shapely. It would have been nice to have a more realistic variety of body types among them.

In this season when numerous surgically altered young bodies flood the screens nationwide, Calendar Girls is a pleasant reminder that real women do, in fact, exist—complete with hard-earned wrinkles and breasts low from feeding babies—even if only in British films.

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