--- title: "What Women Want: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/what-women-want/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/what-women-want" critics_score: 57 critics_reviews: 9 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # What Women Want (2000): what the critics said Critics' score 57 from 9 reviews: 2 positive, 5 mixed, 2 negative. The critical response is mixed, with praise clustering around the performances rather than the film’s ideas about men and women. Several critics find Mel Gibson’s comic charm a substantial asset, keeping the romantic comedy entertaining even when the writing falters. Ashley Johnson and Hunt also receive praise. The warmer reviews enjoy the film’s lightness and energy; Radio Times goes further, finding wit and invention in the writing and sharpness in the direction despite the daft premise. Reservations centre on shallow themes, awkward plotting and comedy that does not consistently land. The spread is wide: some critics find agreeable entertainment, while others object to the central character or the gender conventions. The Guardian offers the strongest rejection, treating the resemblance to Doris Day and Rock Hudson comedies as complacent imitation. Three listed reviews have no recoverable verdict, which limits how fully the reasons behind the numerical consensus can be described. ## Radio Times — Dave Aldridge Rating 4/5. The review calls the romantic comedy inventive, witty and sharply directed. It praises the writing and direction, while noting the premise is daft. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-6s59fj/what-women-want/) ## Screen Daily — Mike Goodridge Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 18 December 2000. The review’s verdict is not visible in the accessible text. The paywall also obscures what the critic singled out for praise or complaint. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/what-women-want/404547.article) ## The New York Times Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 15 December 2000. The article is identified as a review of the film, but its verdict is unavailable. The page provided no review text from which to identify what the critic praised or criticized. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/15/movies/film-review-is-there-any-hope-for-a-dyslexic-mind-reader.html) ## Time Out — SS Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). The page identifies this as a review, but the review text is unavailable, so its verdict cannot be established. The available description foregrounds the electrocution-triggered mind-reading premise, with no praise or criticism recoverable. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/what-women-want) ## Total Film — Total Film Rating 3/5. 2 February 2001. The review finds the film likeable and entertaining, but ultimately adequate rather than inspired. It praises Mel Gibson’s charisma and Ashley Johnson’s performance, while faulting the shallow themes and clumsy plot turns. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/what-women-want-review/) ## Variety — Todd McCarthy Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 11 December 2000. McCarthy finds the film energetic and appealing, but says its comedy often misfires and its ending putters to an indifferent stop. He praises Mel Gibson’s buoyant comic performance for lifting the people around him. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2000/film/reviews/what-women-want-3-1117796916/) ## Los Angeles Times — Kevin Crust Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 10 May 2001. The capsule finds the comedy mildly amusing but formulaic and ultimately off-putting. It singles out Mel Gibson’s heelish character as a barrier to enjoying the film. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2001-may-10-ca-61404-story.html) ## The Guardian — Philip French Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 4 February 2001. French finds the film trite and complacent, a throwback to an earlier era. He faults its close imitation of Doris Day and Rock Hudson comedies and their gender conventions. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/News_Story/Critic_Review/Observer_review/0,,433851,00.html) ## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 2 February 2001. The critic finds the romantic comedy frothy and unexpectedly classy. He singles out Gibson’s playful charm and Hunt’s assured performance, noting that she holds her own alongside him. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/what-women-want-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/what-women-want.md