W.E.: ANOTHER MADONNA FLOP

Madonna has yet to direct a movie that entertains or enlightens or even just makes you want to see more from her. Granted she's only directed two but without the celebrity status she brings to a picture why would anyone hire her to direct when so many good directors are looking for their next project?

W.E. is the story of Wallis Simpson, the American divorcee, and Edward, the next King of England, and their romance. Well for most the story would be about that. Instead Madonna puts a new twist on the story that's been told time and time again. And of course that twist is more lurid than most films choose to use.

But rather than just stick with the one story we have another running first and alongside the famous romance. A young woman is trouble with her marriage to her husband and keeps coming back to an auction house selling off pieces of Simpson's past. What a great way to go back and forth in time and allow for some glimpses of newer lingerie.

Its been said that the point of this film was less about presenting an historically accurate telling of the same tale once more but more about discussing celebrity and people's desire to have that notoriety. In the way this story is told that seems to be the only thing that interests Wallis Simpson. In an unhappy marriage (on her part at least) she seeks fame and attention. She wants the hoi paloi to take notice of her, to talk about her parties and her friendships. Edward comes off as little more than a party boy who goes from one woman to the next. I could be wrong but I think there was more to their story than that and using them to tell a story completely foreign to their real lives seems a bit much.  Rather than do so why not just use a fictional couple instead? Using historical figures involves viewers bringing with them the baggage of knowing what they know about them already. To try and present them as something else just causes confusion.

But that's not the worst of it. The worst of it is that the film is completely boring. There are no characters to sympathize with, to care about or to feel involved with. Everyone is self serving and watching them prance about from one party to another is just tedious.

One thing will result from this movie. Those who are die hard fans of Madonna will rise to the occasion and defend it as a work of art. They will attack anyone who dares try to say different. Fortunately this is a minority from the look of the box office results for this film as well as DVD sales. With any luck that will mean that Madonna will decide she's better off performing live, recording music or simply acting. Leave directing to those who know how to do it best.

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