HAS TWO FACES
- Starring Barbra Streisand and Jeff Bridges
- Directed by Barbra Streisand
- Rated PG-13, with strong profanity; running time 126 minutes
- With 10 as a must-see, Jack gives this film a 6
Democrat and Chronicle
(Nov. 14, 1996) -- Barbra Streisand returns to romantic comedy as both star and director of The Mirror Has Two Faces.
The result is modest entertainment -- boosted by the appealing performances of both Streisand and Jeff Bridges, but undermined by its mixed messages about the nature of love and the importance of physical appearance.
And as it tries to untangle its convoluted theme, the film extends itself to more than two hours of running time -- a good 20 minutes too long for any sensible romantic comedy.
The Mirror Has Two Faces has been loosely adapted for producer-director Streisand by screenwriter Richard LaGravenese from a French film.
The film was shot in Manhattan, with Bridges and Streisand both playing Columbia University professors.
Bridges is Gregory Larkin, a mathematician who has trouble keeping students interested in his classes and women interested in his love life. He develops a plan to begin an affair with somebody, based on shared interests and intellect but with no sexual activity. He believes a meeting of the minds will have a better chance of survival than a meeting of lustful bodies.
Streisand is Rose Morgan, a literature teacher. In the classroom, her dynamic lectures on romance literature attract overflow crowds. Outside school she's an insecure, mousy individual, still living at home with a domineering mother (Lauren Bacall).
Rose is convinced she's unattractive and declines the few offers she gets for dates. She'd rather sit home, watch baseball and eat snacks. When she hears of Larkin's proposal of intellectual romance, she jumps at it. She'd rather have a relationship with true passion but figures life with a smart, fun-loving celibate is better than no companionship at all.
So far, so good.
But Streisand and company frustrate viewers by taking forever to demonstrate the flaws in both the all-intellect and all-physical sides of romance. And then, just when the film seems headed to a logical conclusion, it veers into new territory that negates much of its earlier message. Rose forgoes her beloved snacks, hits the treadmill and the beauty parlor, and attempts a complete makeover.
I'm confused: Just when I thought the movie was voting in favor of "beauty's only skin deep," it takes the opposite tack. Once again, Streisand plays the ugly duckling who becomes a swan. But here, she's a duckling who isn't really ugly -- so why the need to become a swan?
Other than that overly long faux pas, The Mirror reflects the work of several ingratiating performers. The consistently underrated Bridges in particular makes his slightly stuffy college professor sympathetic and appealing. He's particularly amusing when he begins to show the strain of his self-imposed celibacy.
Streisand also is restrained and likable in the early going -- at least until she feels the need to go glamorous.
Among supporting players, Lauren Bacall generates the most sparks as Rose's opinionated, beauty-obsessed mother.