A light comedy bringing together some of Europe's former beauties, this film is light fluff in a very contrived Pan-European atmosphere. Lisbon, a romantic city to many (and definitely the cheapest capital in the European Union to film a movie) is the backdrop for this assortment of women, none of which is Portuguese. A couple are Swiss, one Spanish, one American, and one actually is French. But we must assume that it is quite normal that all the characters including the sole Portuguese leading character, their family, friends and co-workers all speak fluent French, not a Portuguese word to be heard. Well, if this is a barrier, be prepared for more. They are all on the wrong side of 40, as advertised everywhere. Why not say 50? At the time of filming all the "women" (except Miou-Miou, who was 47) were over 50, and by now when the film is being released for the first time, they are all in their mid 50s. Yes, they look nice. But forty? The last major hurdle to clear to enjoy the film is to accept the five most popular cliches about older women. A couple are men hungry to the point one even has sex in front of her grown daughter. Another (unlikely) one is an old lipstick lesbian. The teacher has sex with Lisbon students 30 years her junior (who also speak fluent French). And the main, arguably most "normal" character (as played by the Spanish Carmen Maura) has a live-in lover 12 years younger (Joaquim de Almeida). If all these anomalies don't faze you, you may enjoy the film as the light comedy with fading female stars it was intended to be.
