The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996)

Suspiciously similar to "Goodbye Love", a movie with Spencer Tracy and Katherine Hepburn in 1945. The theme, a woman unloved, a man betrayed, a marriage of convenience. Even the struggle the husband goes through to avoid consummation. If an idea was stolen or copied this would be it.

OK. If you accept this movie for what it is, it's actually pretty entertaining. It's a Cinderella story for middle-aged folks. I won't recap the film. That's not my job. I'm here only to give you my impressions on the watchability and impact of this movie. If you love Barbra Streisand (and I do) and you love Jeff Bridges (and I do), you will love this romantic comedy. Both are at their funny, witty, comedic best in this film. Mimi Rogers is gorgeous as Bab's sister. (Oddly, Netflix has her mistakenly identified as Fran Drescher on its website.) Lauren Bacall is stunningly beautiful - still. Overall, the film has a lot of heart. What I love about Streisand is that she knows her weaknesses and her strengths, and plays both up to much effect in this film, which she directed and, I believe, co-wrote. This is a quintessential "chick flick," the kind you enjoy on a raining Sunday night with a big bowl of popcorn. If you are in just the right mood for a film that shamelessly exploits your feelings about romance, this one is it. Enjoy.

I don't understand the meaning of the title, although the leading actress did look in the mirror quite a bit, anyway, what appealed to me about seeing this film was a good cast, and the fact that produced and directed by Barbra Streisand. Basically college professor Gregory Larkin (Jeff Bridges) has been let down with sexual relationships many times, and places a personal advert to find a woman companion, only condition a good knowledge of something, and he has no care of looks and (although they wouldn't know) no sex appeal or interest. Then he meets plain English literature professor Rose Morgan (Golden Globe nominated Streisand), after her sister Claire (Mimi Rogers) answers the personal ad. For a long while it seems they both have the same opinions of how sex and true love can complicate a good relationship, and they eventually marry not for true love or sex, but just a good companionship. Of course Rose is getting very bored, and starts to get desperate for sex, and even though Gregory might be the same (slightly) he backs away from the opportunity. For a while, they split and she tries her chances with a man she once loved (and probably vice versa) before he married Claire, Alex (Pierce Brosnan). When that doesn't work she decides to change her image to be more appealing to herself and others, of course when Gregory sees he is quite shocked, but don't worry, he sees he has true feeling for her as well. Also starring Golden Globe winning, and Oscar and BAFTA nominated Lauren Bacall as Hannah Morgan, George Segal as Henry Fine, Brenda Vaccaro as Doris, Austin Pendleton as Barry and Elle Macpherson as Candice. There are a couple of giggly moments, and the cast of a few good stars kept me interested, but it did have its many moments of pure cheesiness, but still worth watching. The Oscar and Golden Globe nominated song "I Finally Found Someone" by Streisand and Bryan Adams in the end credits is good, if only Streisand and Bridges weren't doing a long dance in the streets. It was nominated the Golden Globe for Best Original Score for Marvin Hamlisch. Worth watching!

The Mirror Has Two Faces is one of those old fashioned romance stories, in which Barbra Streisand and Jeff Bridges prove that love can be had in middle age and romance might even be better at that point.Both Streisand and Bridges are a pair of Columbia University professors, she of English, him of Mathematics. They've come to opposite conclusions about life and love. Barbra wants some love in her life, but Bridges having been burned a little too often in relationships is swearing off sex. I like what director Streisand did with Bridges's character. I can identify with the students in his class, you spell it B-O-R-I-N-G. There are some people who are turned on by math, I'm not one of them. I sat through too many teachers who could not pique my interest in the slightest and many who were like Bridges as Barbra describes him, having his own math party at the blackboard. No one ever made it relevant for me in my academic career.Barbra didn't do too bad with the rest of the cast which includes her mother Lauren Bacall, her sister Mimi Rogers, her wolfish brother-in-law Pierce Brosnan, best friend Brenda Vaccaro, and Bridges best friend George Segal who is a cheerful middle aged hedonist and loving every minute of it.Lauren Bacall got her one Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress and I thought sure she would cap her career with that Oscar. She lost to Juliette Binoche for The English Patient. But Bacall is absolutely stunning as the mother who Barbra convinces that her life isn't over either.For the acclaim it got, The Mirror Has Two Faces should have gotten a lot more, including a Best Director nomination for Barbra Streisand. And this review is dedicated to all of us who had to sit through a boring professor having his own private math party at the blackboard.