The Updated 'Steel Magnolias': My Take

I will tell you right up front that, no, it wasn't as good as the original. But let's be fair here.....how many movie re-makes are? But even admitting that, I still think it was a good movie.

I think the biggest reason it wasn't as good as the first was because it was a 2 hour cable television movie with commercials. There just wasn't enough time to develop each character's personal story as in the first movie.

And while the stellar cast of women was pretty much the best you could get, the male co-stars were pretty forgettable......no Sam Shepard or Tom Skerrit here.

But let me tell you what I did like......

Jill Scott as Truvy. She was excellent as the saucy hairdresser. (She also has some past experience as the neglected wife which she plays well.) Alfre Woodard was also great, and I loved her twangy accent.

I loved that while the scenes were very close copies, they weren't identical. I love Queen Latifah, but we all knew she would not be able to top Sally Field's screaming crying tirade in the cemetery. And she didn't try. But I liked the way she stood watching the techs turning off the machines in Shelby's room and the way she ran to get Jack Jr.   That was real.

I was disappointed in the time leading up to this premiere of the number of people who dismissed it before even seeing it. I hate to say I even think there was a bit of racism at work. And that's just dumb on more than one level. I've grown up and lived in the South all my life, and I can tell you there are lots of strong Southern women.....black and white. These are women I know. Women I've met. Women I see everyday. I think it was a story worth retelling and updating to a new generation and new audience. I'm grateful I can appreciate both.

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Becky's Greatest Hits Vol. II

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