Hormonal Movie Reviews: Steel Magnolias (1989)

I give this comedy-drama 10 fun sized Kit Kats when you promised yourself only 5 out of 10.

Main themes include: Southern weddings, fancy hats, big hair, Dolly Parton, pastels, outliving a child, religious fundamentalism, new beginnings, and of course, the strength imbued from our ride or die bitches. 

Highly quotable, and full of iconic 80's divas, Steel Magnolias (1989) offers laugh out loud dialogue mixed with numerous misty moments where you are left choking back audible sobs.  At the climax of the film, I had tears streaming down my face.  Many eye-burning scenes effortlessly blended sweetness with sass and even some melancholy for a sharpness that cuts straight to your feel bone. 

Starring Sally Field, Miss Dolly Parton herself, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, and the 80's romcom sweetheart queen Julia Roberts, it is easy to get wrapped up in their tight-knit small town aging girl gang.  Peppered with Julia Roberts's pampered defiance and Daryl Hannah's awkward but endearing evolution from distraught to devout, to finally absolutely audacious, it is hard not to feel instantly attached to all of these characters.  My stand out favourite  character was unquestionably the fabulously rich widow, Clairee Belcher, played by Olympia Dukakis with sass for days.  Clairee delivers lines that are already being worked into my repertoire of cheeky comments, especially such gems as:

 "Well, you know what they say: if you don't have anything nice to say about anybody, come sit by me!"

"[Y]ou sound almost chipper. What happened today - you run over a small child or something?"

"The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize."

Clairee: I've just been to the dedication of the new children's park.
Truvy: Yeah, how did that go?
Clairee: Janice Van Meter got hit with a baseball. It was fabulous.
Truvy: Was she hurt?
Clairee: I doubt it. She got hit in the head.

I could copy and paste quotes from IMDB more, but you should hurry up and just watch Steel Magnolias right now instead.