When a Man Loves a Woman (1994)

When a Man Loves a Woman is a dumb title (not another classic pop song, please) for a very smart movie. A kind of gender-switch take on The Lost Weekend, it's about a woman (Meg Ryan) whose alcoholism almost destroys her family. That may sound like just another TV movie, but When a Man Loves a Woman is so authentic in detail and emotion, that everything about it seems fresh, urgent, and engrossing. That's because the film is grounded in the actual experience of co-writer Al Franken (assisted by Rain Man scripter Ronald Bass). Franken is best known for his affiliation with Saturday Night Live and Politically Incorrect, and as the author of Rush Limbaugh Is a Big Fat Idiot, and Other Observations. You may recall that Franken is the creator of Stuart Smalley, 12-step programmer extraordinaire. Well, if you want to know how Stuart was born, you can start here. This is no comedy, however. In fact, one of the most painful realizations comes when attractive, "good-time girl" Alice Green (Ryan) and her husband (Andy Garcia) begin to realize how much of a role alcohol played in their marriage and in bringing them together in the first place. The issues and experiences confronted in this movie go far beyond the stuff you see on Oprah. --Jim Emerson Amazon.com essential video

When a man loves a woman

I bought this movie off of this site because I have been searching for it all over and finally came here and found it. The movie, as I am sure everyone has seen, is about an alcoholic mother who seems to disreguard everything and everyone in her life. She finally is sent away for some help and her family/children come and visit her. Its an adorable movie and Andy Garcia is so adorable in it. It was cheap, easy and sent to me within the next day. I'm not really a movie person, but when I go to search for those that I like, I will definitely be back on this site to find it. December 14, 2008

Great Andy Garcia performance

Alice Green (Meg Ryan) and her husband, Michael (Andy Garcia) are a happily married young couple, until Alice's secret drinking problem is exposed. Alice goes to rehab and when she comes home, she and Michael don't know how to act with one another without the help of alcohol.

This is a really good romantic drama dealing with the terrible ways alcoholism affects a couple and their young children. Oh, my goodness - that Andy Garcia can act and he's quite the dreamboat, too. He's so utterly convincing as the tortured husband that it makes me wonder why I haven't seen him in more leading roles. Meg Ryan, on the other hand, never convinced me she was suffering with guilt or shame or anything; her sunny smile and angelic face were always the same...perky, perky, PERKY! Alcoholism never looked so good!

It's interesting that most of the conflict in the story is after Alice comes home from rehab. It's only then that they both realize what a big part drinking had in their lives and that they have to start all over in their relationship. Although the happy ending is never in doubt, this is an emotionally draining film that is very well done. September 10, 2008

Everybody Hurts Sometimes.....

This subdued but tender and gut-wrenching look at two people who desperately love each other but find their marriage unravelling because of the bottle has two genuinely moving performances from Andy Garcia and Meg Ryan. At first quietly touching, and as it progresses, ultimately heartbreaking, it is like watching a terrible car crash in slow motion. You can't take your eyes away from the screen because you must know the fate of the family inside.

Written by Ronald Bass and Al Franken, the beautiful photography of Lajos Koltai is in contrast to the sad music score of Zbigniew Preisner, highlighting the difference between appearances and the real picture just beneath the surface. Director Luis Mandoki begins the film in romantic fashion but soon peels back the layers to expose a marriage in deep trouble.

Andy Garcia is amazingly good in an understated performance as a husband very much in love with a wife who has become a liitle too drunk a little too often. A pilot for a major airline, he has all the trappings of happiness. Two adorable little girls and a nice home, however, can offer no magic answers when he sees the woman he loves sliding and is at a loss what to do to stop it. Like any husband, Michael Green wants to fix things but can't admit he doesn't know how.

Meg Ryan is flawlessly genuine as his wife, Alice Green. A trip to Mexico to ease the supposed pressure prompting her to drink too much only puts a spotlight on how far she has fallen when a tragedy nearly occurs. But it is a moment alone with her oldest daughter which will finally force her into a treatment center. Rather than cliches, this film shows there are no easy answers. Michael is disquieted then shocked at just how much the children saw and knew about their mother's problem. Things of which he himself was unaware.

The underlying problems still remain when she returns and tries to readjust and you can truly feel the frustration of the coulple. Finally separating, Garcia is truly magnificent in scenes with the two young girls from Ryan's previous marriage he considers his own. Meg's finest moment in the film comes near the end and should have put her into Oscar contention. Tina Majorino as their older daughter and Lauren Tom as their babysitter deserve mention as well. Quietly played performances with the thoughtful intelligence you see more often in foreign films seemed to work against the picture's stars in this regard.

This film is ultimately about love and is quite romantic. It is a mature romance, however, devoid of pretense and not seen through rose colored glasses. A beautifully conceived drama which leaves a lasting impression on the heart and a film everyone should see. August 24, 2008

Alcholism and Love

I use this movie as a homework project for my college Abnormal Psychology students to help them learn how to diagnose alcholism (by documenting the symptoms protrayed) and see its devastating effects on people which it demonstrates with remarkable clarity and sobering impact. It also gives a decent glimpse into where the disorder comes from (eiology) and its treatment, but not near as clearly.

Of course, I love Meg Ryan in any movie, but here she plays her part well, as does Andy Garcia who shows both the healthy side of love and its unhealthy side when it rears its head as codependent enabling. Yes, such spouses are to be commended for "hanging in there" no matter what, but love alone is simply not enough. For you also have to deal with conflict to have a successful marriage. So the only area that I would have changed would be to show how Alice's (Meg's) new assertiveness can come together with their love to resolve their issues, and for Michael (Andy) to be able to love her while accepting her new strength without needing to always rescue and do things for her.

But in contrast to so many other movies who show everything magically coming together within one therapy session or "aha" insight, "When A Man" avoids the usual Hollywood fantasy to show a more realistic picture. For real change does take time and working through so very much. So all in all, this is an excellent, superb movie even if you don't have to write a case report on a mental disorder. July 28, 2008

A Classic!

Bought this for a girl! I've never actually watched this movie!
Only reviewing because Amazon asked to me review my purchases!

Meg Ryan and Andy Garcia, it must be good! June 28, 2008

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