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SYNOPSIS:
Set in glamorous New York City, four women stay close as they
strive for success in the business world. Affectionately known
as the Cashmere Mafia, they rely on each other for support
in both their careers and their often-tumultuous personal
relationships. Publisher Mia (Lucky Liu), CEO Juliet (Miranda
Otto), top business executive Zoe (Frances O'Connor) and key
marketing executive Caitlin (Bonnie Somerville) are bright,
driven and dedicated, supporting each other through rocky
marriages, rival colleagues, kids' recitals and the hunt for
the perfect loft. Their ambition comes with a price - although
they consistently outpace their male colleagues and husbands
in salary and title, they must watch out for scheming rivals,
eager to bring them down. But how better to climb to the top
of the corporate ladder than with your buddies at your side?
MOVIE REVIEW
It’s
probably a girl thing, but we were thinking, if we put four
guys in a bar, talking about issues like failed relationships,
bitchy co workers, children problems and what it’s like
to be a gay (censorship board alert!), it’ll never be
as attractive and appealing as putting four gals in a bar
to discuss about similar issues. Sorry, make that four pretty
women who epitomize the who’s who of the business world.
In this American (where else?) television series which was
aired early this year, we get this made for TV scenario about,
well, four women, who meet and sit around in bars to talk
about their lives about being modern women.
Lucy Liu
(Kung Fu Panda), Miranda Otto (Flight of the Phoenix), Frances
O’Connor (Windtalkers) and Bonnie Sommerville (Without
a Paddle) play four cosmopolitan women who are best friends
since their days at business school and as they grow up, they
learn to balance their ambitions, their careers, their glamourous
lives and complicated personal lives, while finding time to
support each other in a “Cashmere Mafia” (a pretty
club name for pretty women) to make it big in New York City.
Yes, this
spells S-E-X A-N-D T-H-E C-I-T-Y all over it. In fact, the
DVD cover even tells us proudly that “Executive Producers
Include Sex and the City Creator Darren Star”. Four
women dolled up in pretty clothes sharing problems and chatting
about everyday issues? We don’t blame anyone if that
immediate “been there done that” feeling comes
to mind. Maybe, just maybe, this is the reason why the network
decided not to renew the series for a second season after
seven episodes. This two disc DVD contains these 40 odd episodes
which make for good casual viewing at home.
To be fair, the four female stars make this series slightly
above average. Liu’s sharp articulation, Otto’s
sophisticated aura, O’Connor’s warm demeanor and
Sommerville’s pleasant getup make the four characters
engaging to watch, if not clichéd and stereotyped.
The
seven episodes has storylines covering cheating husbands,
lesbian girlfriends, spoilt kids, rival colleagues and not
forgetting good-looking clothes, hair, mobile gadgets and
attractive city street scenes and aerial skylines. The seasoned
TV drama viewer will tell you that this does not break any
new ground in terms of production approach. Sure, the issues
discussed in the show are relevant and modernized, but they
aren’t revolutionary or inventive in any way. Even the
songs played in the background are your typical lounge music.
Maybe, just maybe, the producers should have considered having
four guys to sit in a bar to talk about rocky marriages, rival
colleagues, kids’ recitals and the hunt for the perfect
life in New York City. That may make people sit up and watch.
SPECIAL FEATURES :
This Code 3 DVD contains four featurettes that has
the four girls talking about the girly issues discussed in
the show. The two minute “Revenge Sex: You Get
as Good as You Give” has Otto talking about
her character “fighting fire with fire” when she
finds out that her husband is having an affair. “Move
In or Move Out” has Liu talking about how her
character is set up to meet a nice Asian man by her parents
in three brief minutes. O’Connor talks about her character
being feminine and masculine at home and at work in the two
minute “Kiss My Glass Ceiling”.
The two minute “Pick A Team, Any Team”
sees Sommerville talking about commitment problems and the
possibility of raising a child as a lesbian. There are also
“Previews” of other Sony releases
like Made of Honor, Kabluey and Center Stage: Turn It Up
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The visual transfer is pristine enough to showcase the glamorous
women of Cashmere Mafia, while the show is presented in its
original English 5.1 Dolby Digital audio track.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD
RATING :
Review
by John Li
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