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100 reviews in total

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38 out of 42 people found the following review useful:
"What will I do without a best friend?" - Cecelia Carol Bloom, 5 April 2002
Author: Blooeyz2001 from Florida

"Beaches" is a movie about two people who have family, acquaintances, spouses, careers, etc. but they only had each other when they really needed a friend. That's what makes the ending so hard to take. I think we all can relate to that one or two special people (if you're lucky) in our lives who never actually "go away" even if they don't physically live close to you anymore. Months or even years can go by, but you always pick up where you left off, with ease, when you see or speak to them. You may annoy each other at times, but you will always love each other. They're always with you because you've shared so much. Some of us may never find our romantic long-lasting "soul mate", but this movie makes the excellent point of showing that if you find a true friend in life you are truly blessed.

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21 out of 25 people found the following review useful:
UNDERRATED, 4 May 2001

Author: Bill Treadway (treads22@hotmail.com) from Queens, New York

Garry Marshall's "Beaches" is another examination of friendship and how it can be affected over time. This theme was expertly handled by Arthur Penn in his 1981 masterpiece "Four Friends". "Beaches" is just as powerful, but it's predictable ending prevents it from truly reaching greatness and all sorts of odds and ends stick out.

But maybe it's meant to be that way. It is based on a novel, unread by me, and for all I know it could be truly faithful to the source material. But I can only judge from the film itself. And for one, I am tired of the syrupy ending that was popularized by 1970's excellent "Love Story".

But despite that, Marshall has directed a very good movie here. He may be coasting lately, but "Beaches" proves he's a natural at the type of genre I like best: the serious comedy. We laugh so we may not cry. That may sound corny, but it's true and many of my favorite films are that kind of film: "10" (Blake Edwards, 1979), "The Man Who Loved Women" (Edwards, 1983), "Skin Deep" (Edwards, 1989), "The Apartment" (Billy Wilder, 1960), "The Fortune Cookie" (Wilder, 1966), "Harry and Tonto" (Paul Mazursky, 1974) and "An Unmarried Woman" (Mazursky, 1978) to name a few.

The performances are first rate, especially Bette Midler, whom I'm only used to in comedies. With this film and "Stella". she proves what a truly great actress she really is. She deserved an Oscar nod for this performance. Barbara Hershey is fine as always in the kind of role she can play in her sleep.

One thing that really irritates me is the term "chick flick", which implies that it's only a "women's movie" and men are not only discouraged to see one, but not allowed to even enjoy it. And people I know say that if a man enjoys a so-called "chick flick", he must be gay.

Well, I am definitely heterosexual and am affirmed enough in my manhood to see and enjoy these films. Isn't it about time we just stop the bull and admit that we like these films too? Action is O.K., gore is fine for those who like that kind of thing, but I'd take an intelligent and moving comedy/drama anyday over T&A. And if other guys can't accept that, they're missing out on some good films.

***1/2 out of 4 stars

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23 out of 29 people found the following review useful:
Simply great!, 22 January 2005

Author: klaseriksson79 from Sweden

There are good movies and there are those you'll never forget that you can see many many times. Beaches definitely goes into the latter category Actually I didn't get to see it until a few years ago, maybe because I'm a guy and this kind of movies aren't what guys usually rent but as one grows up, so does the appreciations for sensitive movies like Beaches.

The book is even better and I wish they had made the movie even longer with more stories from the novel.

I recommend Beaches to both women and men, if you think you couldn't cry from a movie - watch this and see if you're wrong - I was...

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21 out of 27 people found the following review useful:
A Classic Beautiful Movie!, 29 December 2001
Author: famousgir1 from London, England

Beaches is a wonderful movie, about two young girls, CC and Hillary who meet each-other whilst they're both on holiday at the same resort. Both of them are quite different from each other, CC being a New York performer and Hillary being a rich kid from San Francisco. The friendship they make though is one that will live on forever and in the movie we seem from the young girls they were when they met each-other to the successful women they are now. Even though they are both now apart from each-other, they keep in touch through letters, until Hillary who's now lawyer moves to New York to stay CC, who's a singer. Once they meet up again, the movie them shows you everything from there romances to the jobs, they're doing now.

The cast in the movie, including Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey and Mayim Bialik, who plays the younger version of Bette Midlers character all give wonderful performances here as usual.

Beaches is simply a classic amazing movie. I love it for many reasons, one being I'm a fan of Bette Midler and Mayim Bialik, who are both absolutely brilliant, the music in the movie is amazing and I absolutely love, "Wind Beneath My Wings". I recommend the soundtrack too and of course main reason for liking this movie is, it's just really nice, sweet and of course beautiful. You have to love it!

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21 out of 28 people found the following review useful:
sad and funny at the same time., 22 July 2003
Author: jackpurvin from hollywood, california

a very moving movie, about a friendship with barbara hershey and bette midler.. very sad from brooklyn,, and bette midler is great, and john hurt is also fantastic. see it one time for it is a very sad and heart wrenching movie. taxes the soul with strong emotion, especially for the feeling of lost ones and lost friends.

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15 out of 20 people found the following review useful:
Chick flick for guys too, 14 January 2000

Author: vindog

A chick flick that appeals to all. The "sunset/hearse" cut was the most poignant death scene I've ever seen in film. Have to admit I was teary on that one. This is the kind of film that tugs at the heartstrings..guy or gal

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15 out of 20 people found the following review useful:
"I like American movies now!", 9 April 1999

Author: Pelrad from Shanghai, China

I was in another country once where the only American films they showed in the cinema were either the ultra-violent (Jean-Claude Van Damme / Steven Segal movies) or the ultra-steamy (e.g. "Basic Instinct", "Pretty Woman"). Many parents would refuse to let their children watch these, allowing them only to watch Indian movies. I tried frantically to convince some of the locals that there were many other kinds of American films that they would love. They didn't believe me. So, I rented a video - "Beaches". After watching it, the people around me were shocked and said, "I like American movies now!"

Two unlikely friends meet by chance in childhood and keep up their friendship over the years through ups and downs, crises and victories, and reversing economic positions more than once. They inspire each other and fight over the same men. Hershey plays a girl raised in a rich conservative family while Midler plays an eccentric and poor show-biz wannabe. Midler becomes rich and famous and Hershey rejects her pompous upbringing becoming a poor lawyer working for the A.C.L.U.. But Midler cannot handle the new fame and fortune and Hershey cannot deal with her new lifestyle devoid of pampering. This rare tale of female friendship is a brilliantly-acted tearjerker. (10 out of 10)

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10 out of 11 people found the following review useful:
Midler & Hershey Were Great Together, 21 December 2005

Author: whpratt1 from United States

Was not very certain if I really wanted to view this film, some times Midler can be way out in left field. However, in this film Bette Midler, (CC Bloom),"That Old Feeling",'97 plays a very self-centered person who will stop at nothing to get what she wants and if it is a career on the stage, just forget about love or a husband and children. Barbara Hershey,(Hillary),"Riding the Bullet",'04, is a childhood friend of CC Bloom and in some ways they help each other, even though they are complete opposites. There is plenty of comedy, lots of fighting, and more drama than you can handle. Midler sings outstanding songs we all know by heart and it is a very entertaining film, but very very SAD!

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13 out of 17 people found the following review useful:
touching movie.one of the greatest movies, 20 November 2004

Author: stayspoiled (stayspoiled@aol.com) from Massachusetts

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

This movie touched on so many emotions.I watched the movie so many times i can recite it by memory.I'll never get tired of this movie.Too bad that movies aren't made like this too often.I always cry at the same spots,over and over again.The part that makes me cry the most is when Hilary is dying and her and Cece are sitting on the beach and the look at each other and then the sunset.I start balling. Then poor little Victoria at the funeral and driving away in the limo away from her home!!! and at the end of the movie when CeCe finishes her concert and walks up the stairs with Victoria and the voices of when Cece and Hillary as children say "keep in touch" and "we are friends,,aren't we".This movie..i love it!

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8 out of 8 people found the following review useful:
Brilliant, 25 July 2005

Author: kerrywba from United Kingdom

It has got to be said that there are not many movies these days that will make you laugh and cry the way Beaches does...... from the hilarious 'Otto Titsling' song (which had me in creases!) to the powerful and emotional ending to the film, in which 'Wind Beneath My Wings' is immortalised.

This is a film that has touched everyone I know that has seen it, and is a timeless classic that really illustrates the true meaning of friendship.

A true 'Chick Flick'...... definitely well worth watching if you haven't seen it...... And If you don't cry, you certainly are not human!

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