The Next Best Thing (2000): Dir: John Schlesinger / Cast: Madonna, Rupert Everett, Benjamin Bratt, Illeana Douglas, Lynn Redgrave: Miserable sack of trash with a title that swerves around the issue of sex and friendship. Friendship is not the next best thing to a stupid sexual fling. Madonna and Rupert Everett are best friends. He is gay and the father of her baby after one drunken night. It is a bitter film that boils down to a custody battle when Madonna is engaged to someone she met in Yoga class. It jumps from Madonna in labour to her son at six years old in a matter of a scene that strikes as confusing without subtitles. The ending is slapped on and awkward. Dreadful directing by John Schlesinger who once made superb films such as Marathon Man and Midnight Cowboy. Now he directs this garbage just after directing another crap fest called Eye for an Eye. Madonna is hideous in a role that is very unsympathetic. Is it possible that this is her worst performance or is this one of her many toss ups? Everett fares far better as someone wrestling with his sexuality as well as friendship and potential fatherhood. Benjamin Bratt's performance as Madonna's Yoga class boy toy is about as inspiring as a kick in the ass. Illeana Douglas and Lynn Redgrave also make the mistake of showing up in this. Pointless soap opera where the next best thing is a paper bag to vomit in. Score: ½ / 10
Review of The Next Best Thing
The Next Best Thing
(2000)
The Next Best Thing is Not Seeing This Film.
20 May 2015
Warning: Spoilers